True Prisoner of Azkaban
by Kage James
Summary: They thought they were stopping a future dark lord, but they were only creating one... AU
1. Prologue: Divergences

**AN: **This story was original created sometime before the sixth book released, but it's thought and ideas have evolved to include the later working of JK Rowling.

I don't own Harry Potter, that honor belongs to JK Rowling. In the future, author notes and disclaimers will be at the end of the chapter.

Finally, if you don't like the idea of a gray, or dark Harry Potter, then you're not going to like this story. So, please don't bother to read it.

* * *

**Prologue: Divergence**

_"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper._

_"Make Harry get it."_

_"Get the mail, Harry."_

_"Make Dudley get it."_

_"Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."_

_Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and - a letter for Harry._

_Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who would? He had no friends, no other relatives - he didn't belong to the library, so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:_

_Mr. H. Potter_

_The Cupboard under the Stairs_

_4 Privet Drive_

_Little Whinging_

_Surrey_

_The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp. Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H._

_"Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke._

It was at that moment when time seemed to stop for Harry. Not once in his life had the Dursleys ever given him anything, willingly. Even now, he could smell the awful 'uniform' his Aunt Petunia was making for him. If they wouldn't even buy him a used uniform, what would they do with this letter? This proof that someone thought something of him.

What may have seemed like minutes, was actually only seconds. Harry slipped the letter into his trouser waistband underneath his shirt, before going back into the kitchen to give his Uncle Vernon the mail.

Harry was extremely aware of the feel of his letter. So much so, that he didn't even register Uncle Vernon saying something about Marge being ill. Harry barely managed to dodge Dudley's Smelting stick as Dudley tried to take advantage of Harry's absence mindedness.

"Dad, I'm going out with my mates. I'll be back later." Dudley heaves himself away from the kitchen table after guzzling down his food.

Harry had just managed to get a couple pieces of toast as Uncle Vernon handed Dudley a twenty pound note. "Have fun son." A couple of minutes later Uncle Vernon picked up his briefcase for work, then pecked Aunt Petunia cheek. "I'm off. Make sure the boy doesn't mess up the house."

"Of course. I have a long list of chores for him." At that emission, Aunt Petunia eyed Harry wearily.

Harry had a couple of minutes to put his letter in his cupboard before getting a start on them. It was probably better that he stay near the house today. Dudley seemed to be in a rare mood.

* * *

It wasn't until well after dinner when Harry had a chance to take a look at his letter. The light was dim, but he'd long since learned how to read in the light of his cupboard.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall,_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Harry must have re-read the letter more than twenty times. He'd even read the school list several time. So many questions ran through his mind, but one stuck out more than the others. Was this some kind of joke? Harry knew from the Dursleys that magic wasn't real, so Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry couldn't be anything other than a cruel joke.

He had finally gotten a letter, and a part of him had hoped it was a long-lost relative asking for him. How stupid did Dudley think he was? Who would even know where he slept? He had tried to tell a teacher once in primary school, but she hadn't believed him. More importantly, she had told the Dursleys about it in front of him. The boa constrictor incident was the longest time he'd spent in his cupboard, but telling the teacher had come a couple of weeks close.

Harry wanted to scream, throw things around. Just destroy anything... but his relatives were sleeping. He'd hate to let Dudley win. So Harry took a deep breath, turned around in his cupboard and tried to go to sleep.

* * *

The next day Harry watch Dudley carefully. Although he had already decided that the letter was a prank, he wanted to make sure. He'd had the dream again where he was flying on the back of a motorcycle. Impossible, yes, but with magic...

Harry dodged Dudley's Smelting stick, "What do you think you're looking at? Get me some hot chocolate." Dudley said while waving his stick around.

"You heard Dudley. Get the lad some hot chocolate. I'm not sure what's gotten into you boy." Uncle Vernon admonished as he read the paper.

After pouring Dudley some hot chocolate, Harry spoke to Dudley, "You get that new green ink yet, Dudley? I think I saw an ad about it on the telly."

"Green ink?" Dudley snared. "Why would I want funny colored ink? I'm not some silly girl!"

"Of course not, Dudders." Aunt Petunia coddled Dudley. "Besides, it's not proper to write in colors other than blue and black." Aunt Petunia gave Harry a disapproving look before kissing her Dudder on the cheek.

Harry knew his aunt, so her saying that would mean there wouldn't be green ink, not to mention emerald-green ink, in the house.

"What are you watching the telly for anyway? Petunia, you must not be giving the boy enough chores to do." Uncle Vernon admonition as he got up for work. "It's the middle of the week, and the boy has time to laze about. Not in _my_ house!"

"Don't worry dear. I've got a nice list for today." Turning around to Harry Aunt Petunia continued, "You're going to need to try on your uniform today too. The smell is just coming out."

The disgusting feeling Harry had from the thought of trying on those rags must have shown on his face for his Aunt Petunia hit him lightly on the head. "Don't be so ungrateful."

Today was going to be a long day.

* * *

That night Harry lay awake thinking about the letter.

Harry had several opportunities to hint at Dudley about the letter. Nothing he said got the response from Dudley that would have meant an unsuccessful, or successful, prank. The only thing he could conclude from that was Dudley didn't prank him.

Know that Harry was really thinking about it, the level of detail put into the school list should have clued him in that Dudley was not the perpetrator. No way Dudley could come up with, _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_. And if Dudley didn't prank him, who did?

His aunt and uncle wouldn't ever joke about magic... No one else knew about the cupboard under the stairs...

Harry must have spent nearly an hour going over the possibilities before coming up with the only logical possibility. "It's not a prank." Harry whisper to himself. "If it's not a prank, then what _is_ it?"

Harry got the letter out of the loose floor board where he kept his most precious possessions and re-read the letter. If this was real, then he had until next Tuesday to reply. "We await your owl... What do they mean owl? This came by post." Harry rolled around holding the letter close. Taking a deep breath, Harry closed his eyes. Slowly Harry fell asleep with the letter clutched gently in his hand. One thought was swirling in his mind. Could magic be real?

* * *

Thursday found Harry running through everything weird that seemed to happen around him while he did his chores. Of course, there was the vanishing glass at the zoo. The time he'd been chased by Dudley's gang and found himself out of their reach, on the roof. The ridiculous haircut that grow back overnight. Those were just a few of the strange things that he had been blamed for by his aunt and uncle. Could he have done them? Could they have really been his fault?

Harry stopped working to see if he could make anything happen. He must have stared at the dirty dishes for ten minutes straight. Nothing happened. Harry angrily throw the plate in his hand down shattering it.

"What was that?" His Aunt Petunia came screeching into the kitchen. Harry panic wishing he hadn't broken the glass. He was sure to go to his cupboard without dinner tonight. As Aunt Petunia came in the room, she looked around her eyes taking in everything. "Pick up that dish from the floor, and don't make that noise again." Aunt Petunia said before leaving to go back to her snooping.

Harry looked down. The dish that was broken just seconds ago was whole. "No way." Harry whispered.

Now that he thought about it, he had been afraid or angry all those other times too. Yes, strong emotions must be a trigger to magic. Which means, Dudley sure doesn't have any... Harry smiled to himself as he thought about having something Dudley never would, magic.

With all that decided, Harry still needed to reply. He didn't know if this magic school had a different way for sending letters which used owls, but he would have to hope that if he sent it in the post Hogwarts would get it.

Although, there was post on Saturday. Harry knew he'd never get anything mailed with his uncle home. He could wait until Monday to reply, of course; however, Harry didn't know how long it would take to get to Hogwarts. Harry didn't even know where Hogwarts was located... Still, it didn't hurt to try.

So, Harry used his chores to get an envelope and stamp from his Aunt Petunia's supplies. He spent his free time drafting the letter on some scrap paper, before using his best hand writing to pen the final copy. With the letter addressed just as nicely and stamped, Harry slide the letter into the waistband of his trousers before dinner.

Just as he planned, his aunt sent him to take the trash out after supper. Harry took his time putting the letter in the post for pick-up. With that done, Harry gave one last wishful look behind him. It was done.

* * *

Minerva was a stern woman. She was most know by her students as tolerating no nonsense, but being fair in everything she did. And she like to think that extended to the first year letters. But it had been two days since the deadline for acceptance letters, and she had yet to receive a very special first year's reply. Minerva was a stern woman, but her slightly fizzled hair showed her worry.

Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall had already gone to Albus about the lack of a reply from Mr. Potter.

"Did you check to see if Mr. Potter opened the letter, Minerva?" Dumbledore asked Professor McGonagall while popping a lemon drop into his mouth.

"Of course I did, Albus. Mr. Potter has opened the letter, but he has not replied to it. I'm worried." The stern woman frown slightly, worry evident in her eyes.

"Not to worry, I've spoken to Arabella and she has assured me that nothing undesirable has happened to Harry." Dumbledore smiled kindly to McGonagall. "I'm sure Petunia just used the muggle post to get the response here. We'll get his reply any day now."

"As you say Albus. I hope you're right." McGonagall took her leave.

Minerva shook her head remembering the conversation she had with Albus just two days ago. But, it was the third of August. Even if Lily's sister had used the muggle post, it should have gotten here by now...

Minerva nervously tapped her quill on the parchment before her. She had already completed the majority of the muggleborn meetings. Minerva looked down at the last of the paperwork for Ms. Granger. I very smart girl, but a Ravenclaw for sure.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Minerva looked up to her window to see a tawny owl tapping. Minerva quickly opened the window. After giving the owl a treat, Minerva looked at the letter. In neat tiny hand writing was her name and the school in the center, but what caught her attention was the writing in the top left corner:

Mr. Harry J. Potter

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

Minerva smiled to herself. For some reason, Mr. Potter sent the letter to the wrong address for the muggle post to get here. However, things like this happen from time to time with her muggleborn students so they had contingency in place to re-direct the mail to the right place. In fact, the letter was time stamped from a week ago.

Minerva chuckled to herself. She had worried for nothing. Minerva smiled as she prepared to read the reply. She only expect a line or two from Harry. So, this would be short. As Minerva read down the paragraph, her smile turned into a frown, then a scold that would have made Severus Snape jealous.

"Those muggles..." Minerva spun around in her chair and marched up to Albus' office with the letter in toll. "Cockroach clusters."

"Minerva, what do I owe this surprising visit..." Albus started to greet Professor McGonagall only to have her cut him off.

"You will not believe what just came in the mail, Headmaster." The smile on the professor's face was more predatory then welcoming.

"I'm guessing Mr. Potter's reply." Dumbledore said with his hands in surrender at his deputy's aggressive behavior. "I told you not to worry."

Dumbledore started to open his mouth again to continue when Minerva replied, "Yes, and isn't it an excellent letter." Dumbledore opened his mouth but shut it at a look from his colleague.

"_Dear Deputy Headmistress McGonagall, I am pleased to receive this letter about your school. I had not even known that magic exists._ _So it was with great surprise that your letter reached me with the offer to attend a school of witchcraft and wizardry... " _

Professor McGonagall stopped reading the letter to address the Headmaster directly, "Dumbledore, the boy doesn't know a thing about our world. He's as ignorant as a muggleborn. How do you explain that?"

"I am sure Mrs. Dursley just hasn't explained it to him _yet_" Dumbledore defended himself against Minerva's attacking question.

"Ha, if that were the worst of it Albus, if only." Minerva replied.

"I'm sure it not that bad." Dumbledore responded.

McGonagall looks at Dumbledore before continuing, "... _Although I would be pleased to attend Hogwarts, I am afraid I cannot afford a boarding school. More importantly, I've had a look at the school list of uniform, course books, and other equipment and do not believe I will have enough money to afford the school supplies. I would like to inquire about any type of scholarships that maybe available for underprivileged students?..._ The boy is asking for scholarships. Scholarships for underprivileged students! If this were to get out that the Boy-Who-Lived has been living like a _pauper_..."

"Minerva, you surely are over reacting. You know we keep the Dursley unaware of the large sum of money Mr. Potter is to inherit. I'm sure this will all be cleared up as soon as we tell Lily's sister about the money set aside for Harry to go to Hogwarts." Dumbledore replied trying to calm Professor McGonagall down.

"Is that so? You believe that even though Mrs. Dursley has yet to inform Mr. Potter of his magical inheritance that she will suddenly tell him all about," McGonagall look down at the letter and read from it, "where Mr. Potter can _buy supplies_? Tell him information _about the school and the type of classes_ here at Hogwarts?" McGonagall looked back up at Dumbledore daring him to say yes.

"Well, Mrs. Dursley did let Harry open his letter..." Dumbledore replied optimistically.

"No, Albus. This time I will not stand by and just trust these muggles. If Mr. Potter feels the need to ask for _pamphlets_, then I will just have to treat him like any other muggleborn."

"Now Minerva, that's not necessary. I'll have Hagrid go pick him up, and..."

"No, Albus. Mr. Potter is as ignorant of our world as any muggleborn, so I will treat him as a muggleborn." McGonagall said with a sharp nod of her head.

"Minerva, still..." Dumbledore started to reply.

"Is it not my duty as deputy headmistress to attend to the muggleborns?" McGonagall interrupted.

"Well yes, but..." Dumbledore started to reply again.

"No buts. I'll take Saturday off to go pick up Mr. Potter and explain to him the wonderful world of magic." McGonagall gathered herself before turning around to exit, but stoped at the door turning back sharply to Dumbledore. "I almost forgot. Mr. Potter's vault key if you please Albus."

Holding out her hand Dumbledore got the key from his desk, "Here, I'd been keeping it close since I thought we might have to reimburse the Dursley for their expenses."

"Thank you Albus, and I'm sorry for my temper earlier." McGonagall spoke calmly.

"Not to worry, not to worry. We all get a little excited from time to time. It's good to see you excited for all the right reasons." Dumbledore smiled back at McGonagall with a twinkle in his eyes as she finally took her leave.

* * *

Saturday brought about a bright sunny day to number four Privet Drive. Harry had just gotten the mail for Uncle Vernon who, along with his Aunt Petunia, was in a very good mood that August morning. A mood that even extended to Harry, who received two rasher with his toast this morning. Despite the happy atmosphere here at Privet Drive, Harry was not altogether sharing it.

It had been eight days now since his reply to the Hogwarts letter, and Harry was beginning to believe the letter had not made it in time to Professor McGonagall. If only he had known how to get an owl to deliver it...

Dudley had only just gotten up to leave when there was a firm knock on the door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Now who could that be at this hour? I'm not expecting company today. Are you Vernon?" Aunt Petunia got up to go answer the door.

"No dear, I'm not. Perhaps it's one of Dudley's mates?"

Thinking it was one of Dudley's mates, probably Pier again... Harry moved a little further into the kitchen. Best way to avoid a tussle was not to be seen in the first place...

"I got it." Dudley said as he ran past Aunt Petunia.

"Hello young man. Are your parents home?" A strong female voice said from the door.

Curious Harry moved closer to the doorway of the kitchen, but Dudley have the door only half opened.

"MUM, it's for you!" Dudley hollered to Aunt Petunia who was just steps behind him.

Dudley swang the door open to reveal a tall, black-haired woman in a sober brown dress that looked very old fashion. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

Harry's attention was turned back to his Aunt Petunia as she gasped, "You." The hollow and scared look on her face turned red in anger. "What are you doing here? We don't want you people here. And I know it's past the deadline so you shouldn't even be here!" Aunt Petunia tried to close the door, but Dudley was still in the way looking excitedly between the stern woman and Aunt Petunia.

"Petunia, it seems you haven't changed much. I'm here for Mr. Potter. I received his letter through the muggle post. I can assume from your expression that you didn't know it had arrived?" The woman who Harry now realized was Professor McGonagall continued into the house easily pushing past Dudley and his Aunt Petunia.

"I..." Aunt Petunia opened her mouth to protest but didn't get to as Professor McGonagall continued.

"No matter. I'm here for Mr. Potter. We'll be back shortly after he's done shopping for school supplies." At this Harry Potter quickly went to the door dodging Uncle Vernon's hand as his uncle tried to stop him from going toward the professor.

"Petunia, who is this?" Uncle Vernon asked in confusion.

"She's one of _them_." Aunt Petunia spat.

"Mr. Potter are you ready to go?" Professor McGonagall asked looking directly at him.

Before Harry could reply, Uncle Vernon spoke, "Now see here, your kind are _not_ welcome in this house. I demand that you leave at once!"

"I will momentary, once Mr. Potter is ready to go. Are you Harry?"

Harry tried to say yes, but his uncle interrupted again, "The boy will go nowhere with you! Get back in the kitchen!" Uncle Vernon shouted while pointing in the direction of the kitchen.

For a second Harry almost went, but steadied himself. "I'm ready to go ma'am."

"Boy get back here! He will not be going to that school. _We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish_," Uncle Vernon said as he looked to Aunt Petunia who nodded in agreement. "_swore we'd stamp it out of him_!"

"Mr. Dursley, I am not here to argue with you about this topic. Certainly not with the door wide open for everyone to hear." With that statement, both his uncle and aunt shut right up. Both looking horrified at the open door. "I will be back at a later hour. At which point we can discuss withholding certain information from Mr. Potter." The gleam in Professor McGonagall's eyes made glee bubble within Harry.

A small smile made it to his lips. "I'm ready to go Professor McGonagall. I'm glad you got my letter on time."

_"Haven't I told you he's not going? He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. _I am _not_ paying for him to go to some crackpot school!" Uncle Vernon hissed his reply at a reasonable level.

"Mr. Dursley, I am not asking you to pay for Mr. Potter's education. There are many programs for which Mr. Potter can attend Hogwarts. Your funds will not be necessary." Professor McGonagall gave Uncle Vernon a withering look before turning her back to leave.

Dudley had since moved out of the way with Aunt Petunia leaving Harry to stand next to Professor McGonagall. As Harry too turned around to leave, Uncle Vernon lunged for Harry. The professor turned around so fast it almost gave Harry whiplash. With a shiny stick pointed directly at his uncle, the professor spoke in a cold tone, "I would re-think your actions Mr. Dursley."

With that Harry hurried out the door and was quickly followed by the professor. Once outside, the door slammed shut. At the end of the drive way, the professor looked closely at the closed door. Harry looked too. It was a rare event when his aunt wasn't peaking out the blinds, but right now that was the case. With a slight nod, the professor walked down the street with Harry closely at her heels.

The professor walk confidently down Privet Drive and straight up to Mrs. Figg's house. "Ah, professor? I thought we were going to get my school supplies?" Harry questioned softly.

"And we shall. But first." Professor McGonagall knocked three times on the door.

"One moment." Mrs. Figg said through the door before opening.

"Arabella." Professor McGonagall nodded in greeting.

"Minerva. Your back quickly," Mrs. Figg said while showing them through the door. "I thought you wanted to have a chat before Diagon Alley?"

"Yes, but I didn't want to have this conversation in a hostile environment. So if you don't mind, I'll be using your sitting room for a bit."

"Of course, I'll bring out some biscuits."

Professor McGonagall moved to the sitting room, "Please Harry this may take some time, take a seat." Once Harry was sitting across from the professor, she continued, "My name is Professor McGonagall as I see you are aware. I am the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, and I teach transfiguration. I know you must have questions, but to be efficient it might be better if I ask some questions of my own first."

"Okay" Harry said hesitantly.

"What do you know about Hogwarts?"

"Ma'am, I really only know about what was written in my letter. I'm not completely convinced that magic is real. Or that I have magic..." Harry trailed off as he looked down at his lap.

Arabella re-emerged with a plate of biscuits. "I'll be in the other room if you need me."

"Thank you Arabella." Professor McGonagall turned away from Mrs. Figg and took out her polished stick. "This, Mr. Potter, is a wand. You'll be getting your own later today." Harry nodded at this information never taking his eyes off the professor. With a swish of her wand a tea-pot and cups appeared. Another swish and it was whistling its readiness. "This, Mr. Potter, is magic. After completing your seven years at school, you will be able to do this and much more." Harry looked on in excitement, not daring to interrupt the professor.

After pouring them both some tea and taking a sip, the professor continued, "Moreover Mr. Potter, there is a magical registry that writes down all the names of children who are magical. It doesn't matter if you are born from non-magical parent or magical ones, like yourself. In fact Mr. Potter, you have been in that book since the day you were born to the delight of your parents." The professor smiled kindly to Harry before taking another sip of tea. Harry followed grabbing a biscuit as well. It was surprisingly the best food that Mrs. Figg had ever feed him.

"Is that why my relatives knew about Hogwarts? My parents went there?" Harry asked after taking another bite of his biscuit.

"Yes, I had the pleasure of teaching both Lily and James. Although you father was quiet the trouble maker. You seem to have inherited the majority of his looks, but for the eyes. You have your mother's eyes. I hope you also have your mother's studious nature and not your troublemaker of a father's." Professor McGonagall gave Harry a stern look, and Harry quickly nodded in agreement. He didn't know how his dad could get in trouble with a teacher this stern at school.

The professor took another sip of tea before continuing, "Hogwarts is split into four different house, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. As a first year, you will be sorted into one of the house based off of you predominate characteristics. Gryffindor founded by Godric Gryffindor has students of courage, chivalry and determination. Do you have your letter?"

"Right here", Harry pulled it out of his waistband. He'd been carrying it around since his birthday.

Pointing to the seal the professor continued, "The lion on the Hogwarts seal is the symbol for Gryffindor with red and gold as its house colors." Professor McGonagall looked up, "I am the current Head of House for Gryffindor." Pausing briefly for a sip of tea she continued, "Hufflepuff was founded by Helga Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff is known for valuing hard work, patience, loyalty, and fair play rather than a particular aptitude in its members. The badger on the seal is its symbol with yellow and black as house colors. Pomona Sprout, the herbology teacher, is the current head of house. Ravenclaw founded by Rowena Ravenclaw has members characterized by their wit, learning, and wisdom. The eagle is the symbol for this house with blue and bronze as house colors. Filius Flitwick, the charms professor, is the current head of house for Ravenclaw. Finally, we have Slytherin. Founded by Salazar Slytherin this is the house for the cunning, resourcefulness, and ambition. Severus Snape, the professor for potions, is head of this house. As you can guess, the snake on the seal represents Slytherin with green and silver as house colors."

Here Professor McGonagall paused to look Harry in the eyes, "It is important to remember that each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards."

Harry nodded in understanding, the professor didn't want to tell him one house was better than the other despite being head of house for Gryffindor. He wasn't all that surprised she didn't try to get him in her house. Professor McGonagall didn't seem the type to brag, or exaggerate to get him to pick her house. Now that he thought about it, she probably had no control over who went to which house, so why should she try?

Harry was about to ask how the first years were sorted before he thought of a better question. "Do you know which house my parents were in?"

Professor McGonagall looked down at him, "Yes, they were in my house, both Gryffindors." Harry nodded his head maybe the sorting was based on linage... "Mr. Potter." Harry looked back up, "I don't want you to think you must go into Gryffindor just because your parents were there. I'm sure they would be proud of you no matter what house you get sorted into."

Harry nodded again, he was doing a lot of that today, "Thank you professor."

Before Harry could really think about what characteristics he had, the professor continued, "You asked about the subjects taught at Hogwarts in your letter." She paused for Harry's nod, "Besides the four I mentioned already, there is defense against the dark arts, history of magic, and astronomy for first year. After your second year, you will be able to add two to three electives. These include Arithmancy the study of magical numbers, Ancient Runes the study of runic magic and Care of Magical Creatures which is self-explanatory. Muggle studies is another which I'm sure you won't need."

Harry stopped himself mid nod, "I'm sorry professor, but what's a muggle?"

"Oh, yes. Sometimes I forget you've grown up as a muggleborn. A muggle, Mr. Potter, is a non-magical person. This includes your relatives, the Dursleys."

"Thanks." Harry smiled over at the professor.

"Finally there is Divination which teaches methods of divining the future." The frown on the professor's face gave out that she didn't quiet care for the subject.

"I have to take at least two of those classes my third year?"

"Yes, Mr. Potter, that is correct. I don't normally encourage taking more than three."

Harry nodded in agreement, "I think that answers all my questions about the school." Harry looked ready to get up, the tea was cooling down and he'd down about four biscuits.

"Mr. Potter, there is something else I must ask you." Harry settled back down. "Do you know how you came to be at the Dursley's?"

Harry smiled sadly at this question, he knew this one, "Yes, my parents died in a car crash and left me with my aunt."

McGonagall took a sharp intake of breath, "A car crash?" Her voice was low and threatening, "They told you Lily and James Potter dead... in a CAR CRASH!"

"Ah... yes..." Harry spoke hesitantly.

McGonagall took a deep breath before continuing, "Car crash? No, Mr. Potter, nothing so small as a car crash. This is a long story, so I'd better start from the beginning. A wizard by the name of V-Voldemort, although we don't say his name anymore, about twenty years ago gathered followers, who were known as Death Eaters. It was a dark time, Mr. Potter, you couldn't trust anyone for the Death Eaters were cowards hiding behind masks. At night they were obvious, but during the day they could have been anyone. Many of those who stood up to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers died. At that time, Hogwarts was probably the safest place because of Headmaster Dumbledore. Probably the only man You-Know-Who was afraid to fight."

McGonagall shook her head before continuing, "You're parents, Lily and James, were a part of one of the last organizations fighting against You-Know-Who. Strong wizards your parents with powerful magic. At some point during the war, Dumbledore got some information that your parents where at the top of You-Know-Who's hit list. They went into hiding with you using a Fidelius charm which made their house impossible to find; invisible, intangible, unplottable, and sound-proof. The only problem was that the Fidelius charm required a secret keeper. Sirius Black was the Potter's secret keeper and on Halloween ten years ago he betrayed his best friend to You-Know-Who."

The Professor stopped there wiping away a single tear from her left eye. "You-Know-Who killed Lily and James that night. However, that was not all that happened." Here Professor McGonagall looked straight at Harry. "You-Know-Who also tried to kill you, Harry. No one is sure why, but he did try. However, he couldn't. The killing curse, a very powerful curse, bounced back giving you that mark on your forehead and ripping You-Know-Who from his body."

Harry touched his scar, one of the most unique things about him, as he absorbed this new information. His parents died to protect him. Harry closed his eyes. He remembered a blinding flash of green light, so much more clearly then he had ever remembered it. And something else, a high, cold, cruel laugh.

"You, Mr. Potter, are known throughout the wizarding world as the Boy-Who-Lived. You are famous in our world."

* * *

Professor McGonagall gave Harry a few moments to digest this new information before getting up. "Come Mr. Potter, we must still get your things." McGonagall walked briskly to the fireplace before turning around to talk to Mrs. Figg. "Thank you for your hospitality, Arabella. We'll be back in a couple of hours once we've gotten Mr. Potter's things."

"Always welcome Minerva. Always welcome." Mrs. Figg gave the professor a jar before moving back from the fireplace to let Harry move forward.

Harry looked back and forth between Mrs. Figg, Professor McGonagall, and the fireplace. If he didn't know any better, he'd think the professor planned to use the fireplace to go somewhere.

"Mr. Potter, I don't believe you have ever used the floo?"

"No ma'am. What is the floo?"

"The floo is a means of magical travel through fireplaces."

Harry tried not to look green at the thought of jumping in an active fire.

"I know Mr. Potter, but it is a very safe means of travel. I'll demonstrate. You take a pinch of floo powder," she to a pinch of the powder in the blue jar to demonstrate. "You say loudly and clearly the destination, Diagon Alley for us, then throw the powder into the fire. Step in and you will be let out at the floo in the Leaky Cauldron. Alright Mr. Potter?"

"Yes, ma'am. I think I got it." Harry replied.

"Good, now before we go." The professor handed the blue jar back to Mrs. Figg before she got out her polished stick, which Harry now recognized as her wand, and with a swish and flick a ball cap appeared. "Put this on Mr. Potter. I'd like to not cause to much of a commotion in the pub."

With the cap firmly on his head covering his scar, the professor faced the fire, "Diagon Alley!" throw the pinch and the flames turned green. Without further adieu, she disappeared in a flash of smoke and flames.

Gulp. Maybe he could catch up some other way...

"Now don't you worry Harry. Just do like the Professor and off you go." Mrs. Figg hurried him toward the fire, handed him the jar for a pinch, and was turning him to the fire. There was no turning back, at least not without tripping over seven or eight cats...

Taking a deep breath, "Diagon Alley!" Harry jumped into the flames after throwing the pinch in the fireplace. If he was going to burn to death, then he was going to do it in a hurry.

* * *

Harry stumbled out the fireplace coughing up ash and landed ungracefully on his face. Strong hands helped him to his feet, and a second later all of the ash was cleared from his clothes.

"Nice landing lad." Came a male voice from the bar.

"Thanks," Harry gave a cheeky smile, "I was going for a back flip. Guess I went the wrong way."

"Ha. Haa. And cheeky too. Names Tom," the bartender replied.

"Harry." Harry didn't think the professor would want him to give out his full name.

"Professor, not used to seeing you bringing muggleborns through the floo?"

"It was the easiest way." Professor McGonagall turned to Harry, "Now, let's get to Diagon Alley."

The Leaky Cauldron was a very dark and shabby place. A few old gentlemen were sitting at the bar. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A small woman in a witches hat went back to talking to the bartender, Tom, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter had momentarily stopped when they, well, flooed in. Everyone seemed to know the professor, and from Tom's earlier statement he wasn't all that surprised. It seems she came here a lot with other students.

The professor lead them out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. Harry was a little confused when Professor McGonagall turned to him, "To get to Diagon Alley, you need to count the bricks on this wall and tap the brick that is three up and two across with your wand."

_The brick she tapped quivered in the middle, a small hole appeared growing wider and wider. A second later they were facing an archway larger than 7 feet tall, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight._

"Welcome to Diagon Alley."

A small smile touched the professor's lips at Harry's amazement._ They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall._

_The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop_. "Professor, don't I need a cauldron." Harry took out his school list to check. Yes, right under the OTHER EQUIPMENT section, "a pewter, standard size 2, cauldron set." Harry stopped walking to look at the professor in question.

"Yes Harry, you will be needing a cauldron along with many other things, but first we must get you some money." The professor replied.

Harry looked confusingly up at the professor, "Oh, you don't have the scholarship funds on you?"

"Normally, I would. However, you will not be needing financial assistance to go to Hogwarts." McGonagall smiled kindly down at Harry, "You parents left you quite a bit of money, along with having set aside funds for your Hogwarts tuition." Patting Harry on the shoulder Professor McGonagall continued, "We will be stopping at Gringotts, the wizard bank, to get you enough money to buy all of your supplies and some extra pocket-money for the rest of the school year."

Harry looked surprisingly back at the professor. He had money. His own money that the Dursley didn't know anything about. As the professor started walking again, Harry was in such concentration about the professor's action this morning that he missed the very magical shops selling robes, telescopes, and much more. He missed the strange people doing the shopping and the interesting spectacle outside of the shops.

No, Diagon Alley had just been replaced with this notion. Professor McGonagall had protected the knowledge of him having money of his own. Not even the professor thought the Dursley would leave his _magical_ money alone. Assuming that wizarding money was different from normal, no muggle money. Harry looked at the professor again with a new light. She'd told the truth without telling the truth. He'd never even thought of trying that before. After all, Dudley was stupid enough that it took him a while to get direct insults if he worded them just right.

It was only when the professor slowed down that Harry looked up again. "Woo."

"This, Harry, is Gringotts," McGonagall said.

_They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was..._ "What _is_ that?"

"Ah, that would be a goblin. They run the bank and are not know for their kindness." The professor responded.

_The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver, with words engraved upon them:_

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed, _

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn._

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours, _

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

_They walked up to the counter where about a hundred goblins sit on stools scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses._

"Good morning, we've come to access Mr. Potter's vault." Professor McGonagall said while handing the goblin a tiny gold key. Harry had noticed that she had been calling him by his first name since they got to the Leaky Cauldron. It must have something to do with the low profile the professor was trying to keep. He wasn't quite sure if all this was necessary, but who was he to argue with a professor?

The goblin looked at the key closely, "This seems to be in order. I'll have someone take you to your vault, BOGROD!"

Bogrod lead them to a narrow stone passageway where he whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them.

The professor took her hat off and cased a quick spell before they were off through a maze of twisting passages. _Harry's eyes stung as the cold air rushed passed, but he kept them wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon... They past an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor._

_"What's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"_

"A stalactite is above, and hangs downward like an icicle, while a stalagmite is below and sticks upward." Professor McGonagall responded easily.

"Oh..." now didn't he feel stupid... It wasn't much later when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall. Everyone got out of the cart and waited as Bogrod unlocked the door. _A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze coins._

"I assure you, Mr. Potter, you will be very well off for a very long time." McGonagall got a bag out before doing a quick spell that summoned about 75 coins of all three colors into the bag. "The gold coins are Galleons. There are seventeen silver Sickles to a single Galleon and twenty-nine bronze Knuts to a Sickle. This should be more than enough for the year."

After receiving the bag, Harry was surprised the relatively small bag was as light as it was with more than 200 coins in it.

Once they returned to the surface, the shopping went pretty quick. They got his robes from Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Madam Malkin tailored his robes nearly 8 feet away from the next group of Hogwarts students and seemed to talk to Professor McGonagall the whole time.

Next came Flourish and Blotts. Professor McGonagall told him how much he could use for books before going across the street to get a trunk. It was just enough to get all his books new. He guessed the professor didn't want him to get to many other books that would cause trouble. He was just about to get his books off the shelf when he say the used section.

Stopping for a moment. Harry could get all new books, something he's never had before, or he could get used books and get extra. Harry didn't want Hogwarts to be like primary school. Harry had enough of trying to get scores lower than Dudley. Sometimes it was easier not to turn in the work at all. At Hogwarts, he had a chance to be great. A great wizard like his parents. Professor McGonagall had told him that his mum had studied a lot. She seemed to expect the same out of him.

It didn't take long for Harry to find all of his required books in the used section. Next he had to decide what type of extra material to get. Hogwarts was bound to have a library, so maybe he should get general things to help him get used to the wizarding world.

Harry picked up a beginner's guide to potions which seemed to be targeted to pre-Hogwarts students, a book on traditions in the wizarding world, another on the interworking of the ministry, a book on commonly used charms (Harry was sure there would be a book like that at Hogwarts, but it was only three Sickles), and finally a book on controlling inner magic. The last one had exercises to help focus magic and retain information better. It was the basics of the basics in a branch of magic called mind and body. He just barely got it all with just a sickle to spare.

"Excellent timing, Harry." Professor McGonagall spoke as she put his purchases in his new truck, then shrank it. "Now to get the rest of your supplies. We'll make the wand stop the last."

It didn't take them long to get the rest of the list, cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set, crystal phials, telescope set, brass scales, and basic potions ingredients. In addition to that, they also got Harry a quill set, several feet of parchment, and ten blank journals for taking notes. Harry had always preferred a notebook to sheets of loose paper. The bond journals were the next best thing he'd been able to find. He didn't think Professor McGonagall would take him to a muggle shop (not to mention he hadn't any muggle money) to buy pens and notebooks for class...

"Would you like to get a pet, Harry?" The professor stopped in front of the Eeylops Owl Emporium, "An owl, or perhaps a cat." Professor McGonagall pointed to another shop across the street, Magical Menagerie.

"No thank you professor, I don't really have anyone to owl?" Harry looked at Professor McGonagall to make sure he'd used the term right before continuing, "and I don't think it wise to bring a cat back to the Dursley's..."

"Very well then. Let's continue to Ollivanders." The professor lead the way down the cobbled streets.

Ollivanders was a narrow and shabby shop that had peeling gold letters over the door that read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. Once they were inside, Harry was tempted to believe the owner may have been around at the shops grand opening. It was an unsettling experience the way Mr. Ollivander knew who he was even with his hat covering his scar. To make matters worse, it took them nearly half an hour to find him a wand that worked, an eleven inch holly and phoenix feather wand. If the wait wasn't bad enough, the fact that his wand was related, brother wand, to Voldemort's wand didn't help either. So, Harry was a little down once they came out from the last shop.

As they were walking back to the Leaky Cauldron, Professor McGonagall hesitated for a moment before walking further down the street to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. "I do believe you deserve a treat."

After eating a chocolate and raspberry sauce with chopped nuts sundae, Professor McGonagall handed Harry an envelope, "This has your ticket for Hogwarts. You will want to go to King's Cross and find platforms nine and ten. There is a dividing barrier between these two platforms, platform nine and three-quarters. You will need to walk straight at the barrier between the two platforms. I suggest taking it at a run the first time. Do you understand?"

"Right, walk into the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Take it at a run." Harry nodded his understanding.

"Good. Once we get back to the Dursley, I'll want to have a talk with your aunt and uncle. You should go to your room and take a look at you books."

"Yes, ma'am" Harry briefly wondered if she knew his room was a cupboard. Maybe living in a cupboard wasn't all that uncommon?

* * *

The Dursleys weren't home when they got back. The professor had to use an unlocking charm to get in the door. Once inside, Professor McGonagall enlarged his trunk. "Do you need help getting it up into your room?"

"No, I should be fine." Harry said.

"Good," the professor sighed as she looked around. "Will you be alright by yourself?"

"Yes, ma'am" Harry replied.

"I'll send your relatives a letter with the important details. It's probably best I don't do that in person. I wouldn't want to hex the muggles in my anger." Looking at Harry, "I'll see you at Hogwarts, September first."

"Thank you professor for all the help." Harry spoke with a little emotion entering his voice. He had not excepted for the Deputy Headmistress to come help him in person.

"Remember Harry that you can come to me with anything. If you need to get in touch, contact Mrs. Figg." Professor McGonagall gathered herself and headed to the door.

"Alright... ah professor?" Harry questioned the professor as she opened the door.

"Yes, Mr. Potter" McGonagall looked back at Harry expectantly.

"Is Mrs. Figg a witch, like you?" The question had been bothering Harry since they got to Mrs. Figg's house.

"No, Mr. Potter. Mrs. Figg is a squib, a non-magical person born from magical parents." Professor McGonagall replied swiftly.

"Alright. Thank you again, professor." Harry stood by the door as the professor left.

"You are very welcome, Mr. Potter." Harry watched as the professor left before dragging his trunk to his cupboard. Harry pulled out the first book on top, beginner's guide to potions, and a journal before setting up shop in the kitchen.

* * *

The Dursleys didn't come back until a couple of days before the first. All that time, Harry managed to feed himself, rationing the food to last nearly a month. Harry had read a head in all of his textbooks. The book for History of Magic was pretty exciting. He couldn't wait to get into that class. The transfiguration was by far the hardest to understand. Harry had taken to drawling pictures of the plants in the Herbology textbook to help him identify each species. Besides history, Harry also like potions and DADA. Overall, he was looking forward to learning more about magic.

There was only one problem. Harry was sure that getting his uncle to drive him to London would be almost impossible. Once the Dursleys had returned, Harry had been mostly confined to his cupboard. So it was with apprehension that Harry asked Uncle Vernon to drive him. "Uncle Vernon? Could you take me to King's Cross tomorrow? I need to take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock."

"Platform what?" Uncle Vernon asked taking his eyes from the telly momentarily.

"Nine and three-quarters, sir." Harry was choosing to say everything all at once, thinking that his uncle would want to get rid of him. After all, there was no way Uncle Vernon would believe platform nine and three-quarters existed.

"_Rubbish! There is no platform nine and three-quarters_." Uncle Vernon replied briskly.

Hook, line, and sinker.

"It's on my ticket, sir. I'll only need you to take me to the station. I'll make sure I get to the platform." Uncle Vernon eyed him wearily, maybe he had over played his hand. Less is more, Potter, less is more.

"_Barking, howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. I'll take you to King's Cross._ I had to do it anyway or that bint would have my tail." His uncle replied grudgingly before turning his attention back to the telly.

Harry sighed in relief, next time he wanted something he'd use fewer words.

* * *

They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Harry was pleasantly surprise when Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him. Could Uncle Vernon really want to prove a point about whether platform nine and three-quarters existed? Harry hadn't even planned for this possibility. It was hard to keep the glee off of his face when Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.

_"Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine, platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"_

"Thank you Uncle Vernon." Harry smiled back without replying to his uncle's statement, then ran straight into the barrier between the two platforms... and came out on the other side to a scarlet steam engine. There were a good amount of people on the platform, but not enough to be packed. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven O'clock. Harry looked behind him wishing he could see the look on his uncle's face. Instead he saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it.

Harry pushed his cart toward the train to look for a compartment. The first few carriages had about two to four students in them and Harry really wanted to get a carriage to himself. It didn't take long, somewhere down the middle of the train he spotted a couple of empty carriages. One of the older students sporting a yellow tie and a pin on his robes helped him get his trunk on the train, a Hufflepuff for sure.

After settling into his carriage, Harry changed into his new robes. They were nicer than anything he owned. Got out his transfiguration journal to try changing the toothpick, really just a random piece of wood he found in the Dursley's back yard, into a needle. He'd not gotten very far when three student came into his compartment.

"Over here, this one's empty." Harry didn't like how this was going. "Alright firsty, out." The older student jabbed his finger out of the door as the two females came in.

"Lee, I thought you said this way empty." Said the dark skinned female.

"It will be in about 30 seconds." Lee looked at Harry pointedly, "Or do you fancy havin' a giant tarantula down you trousers?"

Harry quickly got up reached for his trunk, but was stopped by the older boy, Lee. "Don't worry about the trunk. You already have your robes on, so you won't be needing this. It will appear in whatever dorm you get sorted into later."

As Harry left his compartment, he heard one of the girls call out, "Hope you get sorted into Gryffindor, best house there is!"

"Yeah right, " Harry whispered to himself as he search the compartments for other students around his age.

It didn't take too much longer for Harry to find another compartment. This one had four people in it two girls and two guys that looked to be first years too.

Opening the compartment conversation stopped, "Can I sit with you? Some older Gryffindors just stole my compartment, and all of the other compartments have older students in them."

The light skinned male of the group answered, "Getting pushed around by Gryffindors already? You must be a Slytherin in waiting."

Harry smiled as he replied taking a seat across from the skinny light skinned male and next to the two girls in the compartment, "I don't know both my parents were Gryffindors. Besides, if I'd been cunning enough, then I would still have my compartment."

"Should have said you had the dragonpox," the group laughed a little at the skinny guy's joke.

"Nott, really? That wouldn't have even fooled a Hufflepuff." The blonde girl replied.

The brown skinned boy huffed at that, "I'm afraid I have to agree with Greengrass. No ones that stupid."

"I don't know. You haven't met my cousin yet." Harry replied.

"Touche. Blaise Zabini," the dark skin boy nodded his head in greeting.

"Theodore Nott, you can call me Theo." Theodore held out his hand in greeting for Harry to shake.

"Daphne Greengrass." The blonde girl nodded in greeting.

"Tracey Davis," came the soft spoken voice from the brown haired girl who hadn't spoken yet.

"Harry Potter," Harry said after shaking Theodore's hand and nodding back in greeting to the rest.

All eyes snapped to his forehead. "Potter? Gryffindor definitely. If you're not a blood traitor just like you father, then I'll shake a muggle's hand." Blaise spoke up first.

"Oh, shut it Zabini. At least his mother's not known for killing her husbands for the money." Theodore replied in Harry's defense.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Blaise causally looked out the window as if the current topic was boring him.

"Boys." Looking him up and down Daphne continued, "So your Harry Potter?"

"And you're not that easily impressed..." Harry replied.

"It's nice to meet you, Harry." Tracey's response was the most promising to Harry. He'd have no problems making friends with her.

Harry smiled at Tracey as he replied, "It's nice to meet you too, Tracey."

"Where have you been all this time? That's what everyone really wants to know." Daphne grilled Harry.

"With my relatives, nothing special. I'm just learning about my world now. So you'll have to excuse my ignorance." Harry wanted to get that out there just in case he said or did something that might offend his new friends.

"Just learning? Where were you? Living with muggles?" Blaise replied in belief.

"Yes, actually. It wasn't a very pleasant experience." Harry added the last part since Blaise didn't seem that fond of anything muggle.

Harry was rewarded when Blaise next spoke in sympathizing voice, "No, I imagine not." Yup, Blaise was warming up to him.

Soon they were in a discussion that moved from Quidditch to Hogwarts and a little about pureblood traditions. Harry had brought up that topic to check the accuracy of his book.

The conservation only stopped when the door opened about a quarter to one to reveal a woman with a cart full of sweets.

Harry bought a bit of everything to try new things. Theo gave him a look when he just popped jelly beans with little regard. "You might want to be more..." Harry nearly spit back up a bean that tasted like ear wax. "...careful..."

Harry ate slowly after that only trying the ones Theo and Daphne said were the best, leaving the rest for another time.

It was much later when there was a knock at the door and a round-faced boy came into the doorway of the compartment. He looked tearful.

"Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?"

When they shook their heads, well Theo, Tracey and Harry, the boy just turned away and left.

"Sometimes I wonder how Longbottom got in Hogwarts?" Blaise responded quietly.

"Sad isn't?" Nott nodded his agreement.

"What can you expect when you've been to a mind healer as much as he has?" Daphne added just as morosely.

Harry looked confused, so Theo clarified, "I'm pretty sure he was put under the Cruciatus curse as a baby."

"And the Cruciatus curse would be..." Harry asked.

"An Unforgivable Curse. Nott should know a lot about those." Blaise replied.

Theo rolled his eye and continued the conversation as if Longbottom had not interrupted. Theo hadn't gotten two sentences in when the compartment door slid open again, revealing Longbottom and a girl also wearing her Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

"And you would be?" Daphne didn't look to happy to see them.

"I'm Hermione Granger. Now, have you seen it?" Granger demanded.

"Granger? I don't know that name." Blaise spoke pointedly to the group ignoring Granger.

"Must be muggleborn." Theo replied to Blaise.

"Longbottom, I think you're going to want to leave. Now." Greengrass looked past Granger also ignoring her presence. It was obvious Harry's new group of friends were not going to be very friendly to muggleborns. Harry would have felt bad, but he didn't like to be bossed around by anyone. Harry would pick his fights, and this one wasn't worth the friendship of Blaise or Daphne.

"Hey, you don't have to be so mean! Who do you think you are?" Hermione replied in outrage.

"No, Hermione. I already asked them. They haven't seen Trevor. Let's go." Longbottom gentle guided Granger out of the compartment. At least Longbottom seemed like a reasonable person, Harry would keep that in mind.

"But..." the door slid shut cutting off whatever the Granger girl could have been about to say.

"As if she owned the place..." Daphne hissed to the compartment at large.

"I'm always telling you muggleborns aren't worth the dirt under my shoes." Blaise replied with disgust on his face.

"No, don't you start again." Theo replied, but before anyone of them could really start up, the door slide open again. "What do we have a sign on the door saying 'interrupt please!'" Theo spoke softly under his breath, but Harry heard him.

"Nott, do you know where Harry Potter is? His suppose to be on the train this year, and I need to make sure he's making the right friends. Me." A platinum blond boy said as he entered the compartment with two larger boys beside him.

Theo rolled his eyes before answering for the group, "I haven't left this compartment since I got here. How would I know where he is?"

There it was again. Answering a question without lying, but definitely not telling the truth. Harry was sure he could learn a thing or two from Theodore if no one else.

"Humph, you're right. Crabbe, Goyle come on. We need to search the train for Potter." The blond haired boy left.

Once he was gone, Harry spoke, "Thanks Theo, but who was he?"

"That, Harry, was Draco Malfoy. He'll be in Slytherin with us for sure." Theo replied.

"You'll have a hard time explaining that one, Nott." Daphne said softly. Harry thought he saw real worry in her eyes.

"Don't worry about it so much. Now Harry owes me." Theo said with a smirk on his face.

Harry was sure he would be able to handle Malfoy when the time came. He was a little too much like Dudley, spoiled rotten.

* * *

The boat ride over to Hogwarts was amazing even if the giant, well almost a giant as Theo told him the difference in size, was a little intimidating. The almost-giant had even invited him over for tea, which was a little surprising since he'd not invited anyone else. When they reached the castle, Professor McGonagall was there to receive them and was just as stern as he remembered.

_"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid._

_"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."_

Professor McGonagall lead them from the entrance hall, which was big enough the Dursleys' house could have fit in it, to a small empty chamber off the hall. Once all the first years were packed in close, the professor gave a rather short speech about what was about to happen, including the banquet, the sorting, and the four houses. As Professor McGonagall left to get ready for the sorting, Harry couldn't help but to be glad that the professor had told him about the houses and general life at Hogwarts beforehand. Her short speech had been more intimidating than informative.

Despite being short, the wait for the sorting managed to be agonizing. Not because of the unknown about the sorting. He didn't once think that they had to fight a troll, a tall red-head boy was talking about that loudly with Granger. No, Harry was more worried about the sorting's finality. What if he got sorted into Hufflepuff? Despite the kind words Professor McGonagall had for the house, Harry was sure that being sorted into Hufflepuff would be proof that he didn't belong anywhere. The stories Theo had about them painted Hufflepuff in a different light. It wasn't like the professor could say the same thing being Deputy Headmistress. She had to say something nice about all the houses. Harry might have doubted the stories about the house if they had come from Blaise or Daphne, but Theo...

Harry was briefly distracted when about twenty ghosts streamed through the back wall. _Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. _The ghost would have been a better distraction if the monk hadn't mentioned Hufflepuff...

Harry was very glad to be pulled out of his thoughts with the return of the professor. With the wait over, Professor McGonagall lead the first years into the great hall. The sight helped to distract Harry further. A truly magical place, and the ceiling, if it was really a ceiling... It was as if the Great Hall opened up to the heavens.

Harry was a tad relieved to see Professor McGonagall place a pointed wizard's hat on a four-legged stool. It would seem the sorting was done with an old hat; patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Harry's nerves had calmed down enough that he'd managed to listen to the majority of the hat's song, which wasn't all that bad even if it didn't tell him anything new about the four houses.

After the song, began the sorting. The roll call sorting started with Hannah Abbott who went to Hufflepuff. Harry couldn't tell if she was happy about that or not. He knew how he would feel, but she didn't necessarily seem to show that feeling on her face.

Tracey, Daphne, and Theo all made it into Slytherin. Leaving just him and Blaise waiting to join them. Harry was a little disappointed when Malfoy made it into Slytherin, but he wasn't all that surprised. What was surprising was that Granger and Longbottom made it into Gryffindor.

It wasn't long after Nott, when it was Harry's turn.

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall. Harry could make out Malfoy voice probably talking to Nott down the table. Harry had noticed they hadn't seat near each other.

The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Harry vaguely heard a 'shit' from the area he believed was the Gryffindor talk.

"Would serve them right too if you don't end up in Gryffindor, Mr. Potter. Treating any first year like that." A small voice in his ear said.

Harry was in complete agreement. He'd be better off in any house but Gryffindor. Harry didn't think that lightly with his previous worry about getting sorted into Hufflepuff. Harry waited for the hat's judgment.

"Hmm. Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, Ah my goodness, yes... and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... But I think you already told me were to put you... Not Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. Are you sure? You would do well in either of those houses... No?" Well, if you're sure... better be SLYTHERIN!"

* * *

*Note: Italicized parts are taken directly from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, except for the letter which is my own creation.

This is a Harry/Ginny story as it's the only pairing I like for Ginny (& my favorite for Harry). With that said, Ginny doesn't make an appearance until chapter three (in current outline). I think you'll like my Ginny...

KJ


	2. Chapter One: The Prisoner

**Chapter One: The Prisoner**

The large room was dimly lit. This was unsurprising since there were no windows within the underground chamber. The only light source came from bracketed torches lining the walls. The flames flickered and danced creating shadows running along the chamber. The cold stone and damp air made the chamber feel more like a dungeon than any regular room. A feeling it shared with the dungeons of Hogwarts. Unlike Hogwarts, there were no pictures, no decorations, no potions ingredients lined these walls. Only the dancing shadows had purchase there. It gave the place a bleak and forbidding air. This was clearly not a place for celebrating, nor would anyone willingly want to be in this bleak and gloomy place.

Even so, there were serried rows of benches within this desolate place filled with rows and rows of adult witches and wizards. They were around every wall, rising in levels all around the room. All were positioned to have a clear view of the center of the room. And at that center, stood an empty chair with chains encircling the arms. Although the benches were pointed toward the chained chair, all of the faces of the rows and rows of witches and wizards seemed to be pointing in a different direction, waiting. No one spoke. There was very little rustling of robes. It was clear by the atmosphere that this was a serious occasion.

Footsteps echoed off the dungeon walls. The door in the corner of the dungeon opened and three people entered, a young man with his hands bound in front of him flanked by two Auror officers. The young man, more boy than man, held his head up high. High enough that he could observe the faces of the crowd as the Auror officers placed the boy in the chained chair, removed the binding spell, and stepped back to the outside of the room.

There had to have been more than two hundred witches and wizards wearing plum-colored robes with an elaborately worked silver 'W' on the left-hand side of the chest, the Wizengamot. To the side in the back row, there was a partially covered row of benches that housed non-Wizengamot members. In the very middle of the front row, sat Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. To the right of him, sat Dumbledore, and to the left was a stern witch with a broad, square-jawed with very short grey hair.

As the young man observed the Wizengamot, so too did the Wizengamot observe him, craning to get a good look at this young prisoner. There was only one thing that stood out about that prisoner that the Wizengamot could truly see, the boy's piercing emerald-green eyes somewhat hidden behind round-rim glasses.

No sooner were the guards out of the way, than the chains on the arms of the chair glowed suddenly gold and snaked their way up the boy's arms, binding him there. The boy's arms strained against the wood of the cold hard chair.

"Harry Potter," said the stern woman to the left of Fudge. "You have been brought before the Ministry of Magic for sentencing."

Harry suppressed his first response to being chained like a dog, or some common Death Eater, to focus on the gathering around him. He didn't know who the stern woman was, but Dumbledore... He wasn't at all surprised to see Dumbledore there, looking down at him with disappointment in his eyes. No, what was more surprising was that he didn't see Dolores Umbridge.

After her unscheduled visit before Professor Snape visited him in the Ministry holding cells a few days ago, Harry had half expected her to be here to gloat over his predicament. At the time, he'd been upset with himself for telling anything to Skeeter right after the events in the Graveyard. Harry should have said nothing about the return of Voldemort. Now, that Harry was here, he realized how much he would have preferred Umbridge to Dumbledore. This could not go well for him...

There was a slight pause as the crowd murmured before Fudge spoke up, "Are you ready Mr. Weasley?"

"Yes, sir" Harry looked up to see one of Weasleys sitting at the very end of the front bench. For something this big, you would think they could get a high level scribe. A Weasley, Harry thought this one was named Percy, that was just insulting.

"Sentencing hearing of the twenty-ninth of July for the actions of the twenty-six of July," said Fudge in a ringing voice.

The stern woman interrupted Minister Fudge to read partially from a piece of parchment, "It is to be noted that guilt has already been established. Therefore, the charges against the accused that occurred on the twenty-sixth of July at thirty minutes past nine will not be further discussed; however, because of the age of Mr. Potter, this court has been convened to determine to what extend Mr. Potter can and should be punished."

Harry blinked up in surprise at the stern woman's words. With his focus on the Wizengamot, Harry completely missed what the stern woman had said early. However, she'd made it extremely clear once more. There was to be no trial. This was news to him. He'd been under the impression that this was to be his trial. Now, Harry would get no opportunity to defend himself. They would not ask him direct questions about his actions that day. No one would hear Harry's story.

Harry closed his eyes briefly to gather himself before looking back up to the high bench. He would have thought that Fudge would be more wary about sentencing anyone without a trial after the fiasco with Sirius. And yet, here he was. Where could Sirius be? If anyone could turn this sentencing trial around on the Ministry, it would be Sirius.

There was a breakout of conversation, before Dumbledore spoke up, "Minister Fudge, please continue."

"Yes, of course" clearing his throat Fudge continued. "For sentencing for crimes committed, multiple use of the Unforgivable Curses and extensive use of the dark arts by Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey." Fudge paused briefly to take a sip of water.

"The record should note that crimes committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy will not be taken into account." The stern woman interrupted the pause.

Harry's face was neutral, but inside he was in turmoil. Of course they wouldn't even touch the Restriction for Underage Sorcery and Statute of Secrecy. Harry could have easily gotten out of those charges. Self-defense under extreme circumstances. Even now, he didn't see how they could give him anything too extreme because of the self-defense circumstances.

Clearing his throat Fudge continued, "Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts and Chief Warlock. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley. Witness against the defense will be announced as they appear. There is no Witness for the defense at this time." Harry knew the last statement was just politics for saying we're starting before a witness can be provided.

"We will now hear from our first witness, Ronald Bilius Weasley." Harry watched as the lengthy red head walked over from the arranged seating area.

Harry looked on as Weasley got comfortable. Really, they were going to let Weasley talk about how he was the next dark lord in training? "Mr. Weasley, please tell us about Mr. Potter," said the stern woman now identified as Amelia Bones.

"Well, to begin I guess I should say I've known Potter for four years now, and I can honestly say I'm not surprised about the events that lead to me, ah..., us being here." Weasley took a dramatic pause before continuing over the slight murmurs of the Wizengamot, "From day one, I knew he was a bad egg. When he was sorted into Slytherin, I just knew I had to keep an eye on him. At first, I thought I could talk him into getting a re-sorting." With the gasp from the crowd Weasley continued, "Yeah, I know. That doesn't happen very often, but I asked the headmaster about it, and he said it wasn't impossible."

"Is that true Headmaster Dumbledore?" Madam Bones questioned Dumbledore.

"Yes, it happens rarely, but if the student does not believe he or she was sorted correctly. He or she could be re-sorted. It has only been successful once before, but the process has been asked for about ten times in the history of Hogwarts."

"Alright, thank you Albus. Please continue Mr. Weasley." Fudge signaled for Weasley to continue.

"So, as I was saying. I tried to get him to re-sort. I didn't really care which house, but I will say I was hoping for Gryffindor. If you don't mind me adding, I think it's the best house there is." Weasley said with a sly smile on his face.

"We'll keep you house opinions in mind," came Fudge's response followed by a laugh in the courtroom, one that Harry could not find funny no matter how hard he tried. It must have been the chains tying him down to the chair keeping him from finding the humor in it...

"After our first flying lesson, it became clear to me that Potter was sorted into Slytherin for a reason. Potter went downhill from there. Always picking on anyone who wasn't a Slytherin. I'm pretty sure he was starting to get into the dark arts from some of the older Slytherin around that time too."

"Could you specify the time?" Madam Bones questioned.

"Ah, yeah. After Halloween our first year, Harry got really buddy-buddy with the DADA professor who turned out to be working for You-Know-Who. Then there was the Chamber of Secrets opening up again. Potter was no friend to muggleborns, my friend Hermione Granger was picked on a lot by Potter and his gang. The fact that his mum was a muggleborn didn't even seem to matter to him." Weasley said as he shook his head in disappointment.

Harry didn't care for Weasley's attempt to implement him negatively in the Chamber of Secrets incident. Anyone who wasn't a Gryffindor could have told the Wizengamot differently about his relationship to muggleborns at school. Was it his fault he happened to dislike Granger? That had nothing to do with how he, and by extension his friends, treated muggleborns in general.

"Are you implying that Mr. Potter had something to do with the opening of the Chamber of Secrets outside of what was officially reported?" Fudge asked that question before Madam Bones could open her mouth. Harry could see why Fudge was interested. The Chamber incident had not been good for Fudge's image.

"I mean, don't you? How did he even know where it is? Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful that my sister wasn't killed that day. But I can't help thinking that, if Professor Dumbledore didn't know where it was, how could a second year find the chamber?" There was a collective murmur before Weasley continued, "It was the effect the dementors had on Potter that really confirmed that there was no saving him from his path."

"What do you mean, effect?" Fudge asked with confusion.

"Well, Potter was really sensitive to the dementors. I heard that only individuals really close to the dark with a lot of dark stuff in their minds were super affected by dementors. So yeah..." Weasley replied straightforwardly.

Harry wasn't sure if anyone could really believe the shite coming out of Weasley. That last statement was complete bollocks.

"I'd like to clarify the subject of dementors for the chamber." Bones interjected, "While it is true that dementors have been rather affective against Death Eater, this is because those who have experienced terrible things are the most affected. I would like to point out that in Mr. Potter's case, You-Know-Who's attack on him as an infant would fulfill this requirement."

Harry was glad someone in this chamber seemed to have some brains. It didn't hurt his case that she reminded the court about his importance. With Voldemort's return, the wizarding world needed him. After the mass breakout early this summer, even Dumbledore would have to believe his story. Harry was pretty sure that Dumbledore wouldn't send him to Azkaban just to make a point.

Weasley shrugged before continuing, "I think this last year alone is enough to realize how dark Potter has become. No regular fourth year could have done what he did in that tournament. I'm just looking at the parallels between You-Know-Who and Potter. They both have a loyal group of followers. They were both in Slytherin. They were both powerful. I've gotten into a few fights with Potter and the spells he uses... Potter doesn't even need to say some of the spells out loud. Last time I checked that was a very hard piece of magic for sixth years, let alone third or fourth year students!"

Harry had been careful to never use a dark spell at Hogwarts. At least not where he could get caught, and the last time _he_ checked, being advanced in ones spell work wasn't a crime. More importantly, Harry didn't like the way Weasley was leading the court. He was sure if Weasley could say anything worse he would. Harry really hoped he'd stop talking soon.

"Potter is the prince of Slytherin. He controls Slytherin house, and is blatantly worse than Malfoy. I don't say that lightly, since I'm sure Malfoy is a Death Eater in training." Weasley continued in a serious tone.

"Enough, I'll not have my name slandered in court. Mr. Weasley is clearly biased against Slytherin. I'd like to have the record remove all mention of my family." Lucius Malfoy said from the crowd.

Harry knew he was in pretty bad shape when the only one to stand up and somewhat defend him was Malfoy. Where was his godfather?

"Mr. Percy Weasley, will you please remove all mentions of Malfoy from the record?" Fudge turned to the older Weasley.

"Yes sir," came Percy Weasley's eager reply.

"I think that will be all from you Mr. Ronald Weasley. Thank you for your time." Fudge dismissed the witness.

Once Weasley was back in his seat, Madam Bones spoke, "We will now hear from, Sirius Orion Black."

"Sirius?" Harry whispered the name seeing his godfather walk up to the seat Weasley had just vacated. Didn't Fudge say there were no witnesses for his defense? From the direction Sirius had come, he must have been here for a while. What was he doing?

"Mr. Black I would first like to apologize again for the previous Ministry's incompetence. I know you are still recovering, and we're very glad you could make it today." Fudge was plainly groveling.

Before Harry's godfather could reply to Fudge, the doors to the chamber opened to reveal Severus Snape. "I'm sorry I'm late. No one informed me of the date of the trial."

"Mr. Potter's magical guardian was informed. There is no reason for you to be here Severus." Dumbledore replied.

"As Mr. Potter's legal consul, it is my duty to be here in his defense. Witness for the defense, Severus Tobius Snape." Severus spoke as he stood firmly next to Harry. There was a light commotion, before Severus continued to speak, "As my first action, I would like to have Ronald Weasley testimony thrown out."

"On what grounds?" Madam Bones demanded.

"Wait Amelia, how do you even know about Mr. Weasley's testimony?" Dumbledore inquired.

"You just told me." Turning to Madam Bones he continued, "On the grounds of Mr. Ronald Weasley blatant bias towards all things Slytherin. He would have said the same thing about any of my Slytherins, even Draco Malfoy who is a well known upstanding individual." The crowd murmured seeing as Mr. Weasley had made the reference about Draco Malfoy. It was a gamble that Harry appreciated.

Harry looked up at Severus in thanks. Harry was well aware that if the court didn't ask him a question directly, then he was not to speak. A part of him questioned why he was even here if they weren't going to ask him anything...

"Mr. Weasley's bias will be taken into account, but his statement will not be rejected without further proof." Madam Bones replied before turning to Sirius. "Mr. Black, would you please continue?"

Sirius took a deep breath before speaking, "This is really hard for me to do, to say. When James made me godfather, I always thought I'd be the one telling Harry about girls, and buying him the toys Lily didn't want him to have. I was going to be the cool uncle." Sirius smiled weakly before continuing, "Then Pettigrew destroyed it all. A part of me still blames myself. It was my brilliant idea to switch secret keepers. And a part of me blames myself for why we're here today. I was supposed to be there for Harry. I was supposed to protect him. I was supposed to help him find his path. But I got so caught up in revenge, that I lost sight of what was important. I lost sight of the promise I made to James to watch over his son if anything happened to him. I failed. And I can only hope that James, wherever he is looking down on us, can forgive my failure."

Harry saw the tears in Sirius' eyes. Harry looked up to Severus, and was surprised to see disgust on his face. No, Sirius would never betray him. He of all people would understand what happened.

Sirius wiped away the tears as he avoided making eye contact with Harry, "But I know James. I know that he would want me to do what was right. When Harry helped clear my name, I saw the path he was heading on. But I was sure I could change that. I was sure, _sure_, that I could be there for him. Guide him back to the light."

Harry looked on stonily. Sirius would never do what it sounded like he was doing now... But a small part of him could not help but to notice the disgust in Severus eyes increase. Turning into something that was more than hate, more than disgust... A small part of Harry knew that Sirius for all the talk he'd said about it being okay for him to be a Slytherin. That his parents would have still loved him... A small part of Harry knew that Sirius had not been okay, that he had not believed the words he had said that day.

"I failed him, and I want to blame myself for what has happened. But I can't blame myself for what Peter did, so I'm not going to blame myself here." Sirius looked up to Dumbledore, who gave him a small nod in encouragement.

"Harry was too far gone when I came into his life after his third year. The spells he knew. I _know_ dark curses. My cousin is Bellatrix. That's why I know that some of the spells Harry knew, while not dark sure couldn't be called light either. More to the point they were definitely illegal. Harry trusted me, so he didn't mind demonstrating some of the curses he knew. I could tell Harry was holding back, though. That he knew way more than he was showing me."

Sirius was interrupted by Madam Bones, "And could you identify all of the spells Mr. Potter demonstrated for you?"

"That was the scariest part." Sirius looked over the Wizengamot, "I'm a Black. I've seen a lot of grey spells in my life time, but I didn't recognize all of the spells Harry showed me."

As the crowd murmured, Harry couldn't believe his ears. This had to be a bad dream. Nothing more than a nightmare. His godfather would never do anything like this. Harry pulled up in the chains, before shaking his head violently.

Before he could yell out and probably ruin his case, Severus put a hand down hard on his shoulder. Harry focused on it. It grounded him. He was not alone. Professor Snape had promised to always be there for his students. Despite the history between his father and the professor, Severus had not let him down.

"Please. This drivel is nothing more than the babbling of a half-insane inmate from Azkaban. Black shouldn't even be testifying. He has not recovered enough, nor has he been around Mr. Potter long enough to know anything of value about him. So Mr. Potter knows a few grey spells. They're certainly not illegal, nor did Mr. Potter ever perform the dark arts in Black's presence. I request that Black's testimony be removed from the record. He is clearly in no state to be here." Severus looked at Sirius before adding, "Mentally or otherwise."

"Mr. Black's health was taken into account before asking him to testify today. He has been cleared by St. Mungo's Hospital as having a sound mind." Dumbledore replied, "Therefore, I believe Sirius should be allowed to continue."

"Mr. Black, please continue," Madam Bones responded.

"Alright," Sirius took a deep breath, "what I'm trying to say is that despite Ron's bias against Slytherin, he _is_ right. Moreover, if I, his godfather, couldn't get him to change his path in a year, then a couple of years in Azkaban aren't going to change Harry's path. If anything it would only make things worse."

"What are you saying Mr. Black? Is Mr. Potter a lost cause?" Madam Bones had a curious expression on her face as she questioned Sirius.

"I'm saying that Harry had already made his choice before I had come back into his life. I've tried for more than a year, but that didn't help. Do you, any of you honestly think that one or two years or even five years in Azkaban would give Harry time to change?" Sirius paused before continuing, "I'm saying that expulsion from Hogwarts is not good enough because Harry already knows everything Hogwarts has to teach him. If you gave him his NEWTS right now, he'd get 'E's in just about everything, at the very least!"

Sirius broke off as if he was struggling with himself. Harry almost hoped he was saying all these things against his will.

"That's why... that's why; I'm recommending the court to treat Harry like any other adult wizard. Forget about his fame. Forget about his age. Treat Harry like any other dark wizard who used an Unforgivable Curse, and sentence him to Azkaban... for life."

* * *

... _Flashback July 26th, little before midnight..._

Somewhere deep within the Ministry there were two Auror officers outside of the high security Ministry holding cells. There were three cells in this particular holding room, all your typical six feet by eight feet cell with the addition of several high-end wards. The cells had been redesigned to contain the likes of Grindelwald, and were, therefore, rarely used. In truth, this side of the Ministry had nearly been forgotten, which was why it was odd at this late hour to find one of the cells occupied.

Despite the high security wards on each individual cell and the holding room as a whole, the Ministry had placed actual Auror officers to guard it. One of those Auror officers was guarding the outer door to the room of the holding cells. While the other, stood right outside of the one occupied cell mostly trying to ignore the constant pacing of the cell's inhabitant.

In that tiny cell, a young man with dark hair and green eyes could be seen trying to wear a hole in the ground. Six steps forward. Sharp turn. Six steps back. Repeat. He would stop and pause every now and then, shake his head as if he couldn't believe his own thoughts, then continue again. This went on for some time with a sharp tap for every step the young man took.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Pause.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Stop that damned pacing!" the guard outside his cell exploded.

The young man paused, clearly considering whether to listen to the guard or continue pacing. One would relieve the young man's stress, while the other would keep the guard happy. Surprisingly enough, the raven haired green eyed teen took a step over to his small cot, and threw himself down on small gray cot that lined the back of his equally gray cell. While not the bravest thing to do, it was surely the smartest...

The guard sighed in relief before settling down for a long night. He'd been informed of very little about the circumstances regarding the boy inside that cell. But the guard wasn't blind. The guard's superiors had told him not to let the young man out of his sight, while the higher-ups proceeded with the investigation. He'd even heard that Madam Umbridge had been by earlier, but that had been during the previous guard duty. It puzzled him. What could the legendary Boy-Who-Lived have done to warrant a stay in this nearly forgotten holding room,_ while_ an investigation was in progress? The guard shook his head in thought. He'd been going over that question all night. He didn't really look forward to the next seven hours with the question unanswered.

"I'm sorry no one is to see the prisoner," came the guard from outside the room to the holding cells. Although the cells were heavily warded, the walls were pretty thin which made it easy to hear conversations outside the room. But whoever was out there managed to talk low enough that the guard inside the cell could make out nothing more than meaningless sounds. "No one told me that." Pause as the other bloke spoke. The voice was deep enough the guard inside the room felt certain that the person outside was male. "Well, the paperwork does seem to be in order." The door opened to reveal the outside guard and a tall, dark haired man in black robes.

The dark man walked confidently in, his robes billowing in his wake.

"Professor?" The Boy-Who-Lived questioned as he got up from his cot.

"Harry." The professor nodded in Mr. Potter's direction before turning to the guard right outside the cell. "If you would excuse us for a moment. I need to speak with Mr. Potter about his current situation, privately."

Before the guard could reply, he was interrupted by the outside guard, "It's alright, Tanner. Professor Snape has all the right paperwork. We'll just wait outside the room."

Tanner nodded before walking toward the door. He paused at the door to look back at the Professor and the Boy-Who-Lived. Snape looked right back at him. Tanner continued out the door and watched it shut. It was a pity Tanner wasn't going to find out what this was all about tonight...

"Harry, how are you holding up?"

"Well enough considering. Do you know how long I'll be in here?" Harry questioned as he attempted to grip the bars to his cell, but the wards didn't allow for that. "Shite!" Harry shook his hand out from the light sting.

"The wards are unusually strong here, I take it." Harry gave the Professor a sharp look choosing not to reply to that comment, "As for how long, probably until the trial. However, I haven't managed to get anyone to tell me when it will be."

"That's alright. I'm sure it won't come to that. I'm the Boy-Who-Lived after all..." Harry moved away from the bars so as not to trigger the wards again.

"I wouldn't hold too much stock in that, Harry. Dumbledore is out for blood this time."

"It doesn't matter. Sirius will come and break me out, if he thinks it could go to trial. I've already decided that it would be easier to break me out of here than Azkaban."

Severus looked at his charge with some apprehension. "Perhaps you know something I do not. Whatever the case, I'll need to know what happened if I am to defend you."

"I was attacked, Death Eaters. I only recognized Bellatrix, but there were two others. First were the dementors, then the Death Eaters. I held out for as long as I could, but no one came. It was either me or them. I wasn't going to die if I could help it. I used everything I knew, everything."

"I can try to get self-defense, but the Unforgivable Curses were used, Harry. They'll give you some time in Azkaban, no matter what I say. Do you have any friends outside of the house that can speak in your favor?"

"Does any Slytherin, really?" Harry replied, but the look from the Professor got Harry to answer truthfully. "I suppose, Neville or Susan Bones might speak kindly in my favor. Or Ginny. I've saved her life once before if nothing else, I'm sure she would have _something_ good to say about me."

"I thought as much. Bones won't be of any help to you here. Your little contact with her was common knowledge, but not good enough for this. And Molly Weasley won't be letting Ginny within a ten mile radius of this trial."

"And Neville?"

"Dumbledore's blocking me from getting in contact with Neville. By the time I do, you'll surely be in Azkaban. Your other friends will only make the matter worse." The Professor paused briefly in thought before continuing, "I'll see what I can do about discrediting any of the Gryffindors Dumbledore will want to use. One of the Weasleys boys for sure. Not Granger because of her blood status..."

"There's one other thing I think you might want to know, Professor." Harry spoke softly. Professor Snape lifted one eyebrow in question. "Umbridge paid me a visit a couple of hours ago."

"Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister? Why?"

"To gloat mostly. But she did say one thing of interest." The professor gave Harry a look that said clearly to get on with it. "She said I was trying to fool the wizarding world into believe that Voldemort was back." Looking hard at Professor Snape Harry continued, "I always had trouble trying to figure out how dementors got to Little Whinging. But the Minister, or the Minister's Senior Undersecretary could have ordered them there."

"Are you saying..."

"Yes. Can you look into it, Professor?"

"I'll see where that avenue leads us. Unfortunately, whether she had anything to do with your attack will not help in this case. What we really need is to paint you in the whitest light possible for the upcoming trial."

"The trial? Don't worry about it Professor. Sirius will help get me out of this. Even if it's just to use his time in Azkaban to make sure I don't go there. I'm sure we don't have anything to worry about on that front. He's my godfather, and he's always telling me how he would be there for me no matter what. This is that time. What I'm more worried about is Umbridge's possible connection to Voldemort."

Severus looked at the confidence in Harry eyes, "Alright. But I'm still going to take some precautions before I look into Umbridge."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Professor."

_... End Flashback_...

* * *

"Thank you Mr. Black for your moving testimony. We appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to be here." Fudge dismissed Sirius from the witness chair.

Harry sat there speechless. He barely registered Sirius' return to his seat or Dumbledore's move to speak.

"Yes, thank you Sirius. I know this was hard for you given the circumstances. With those circumstances in mind, I'd also like to speak about my own observations about Mr. Potter. Severus is right. Sirius had little more than a year to observe and get to know Mr. Potter. I, however, being his legal magical guardian until just recently, have been keeping an eye on him ever since he arrived at Hogwarts."

Dumbledore gives a dramatic pause to let his previous comment sink in. "Once Mr. Potter had been sorted into Slytherin, I knew that I would have to try harder to get him on the right path. I tried to guide Mr. Potter, point him in the right direction. But, I fear I was unsuccessful. More importantly, I fear what this court might do because of Mr. Potter's fame and youth. I fear what could happen if we send Mr. Potter away for only a few years. I do not fear the present, but the future. A future I find that looks bleak with a free Mr. Potter to take revenge on what he certainly will see as a wrong done to him by this Ministry."

"Surely, Albus, Mr. Potter could not be much of a threat to the wizarding world half-trained and wandless. I'm sorry Mr. Black, but I don't see Mr. Potter as the threat you seem to see. Only as a slightly advanced child." Fudge replied.

"I have to agree with Minister Fudge, Headmaster. Mr. Potter is nothing but a half-trained wizard, who will be incapable of harming anyone else once expelled from Hogwarts and his wand destroyed." Madam Bones supported Fudge's comments. There was a low murmur of agreement throughout the Wizengamot. Harry distinctly heard Malfoy say his agreements to the crowd at large.

"I have seen a student like Mr. Potter before; an orphan with a thirst for power. I saw that orphan excel at everything he did, just like Mr. Potter. I saw that orphan gather followers. And I have seen that orphan become the Dark Lord Voldemort, who was the cause of so much death and destruction." Dumbledore spoke.

A large gasp went up in the Wizengamot at the use of Voldemort name. Harry did not like the comparison Dumbledore was making, but found himself becoming numb to the trial. "I will **_not_** see another Voldemort created under my watch!" At that sentence, the Wizengamot went quiet. A quiet crowd meant a thinking crowd, and in Harry's case that was bad, very bad.

"I implore you, the Wizengamot, to make sure that the Boy-Who-Lived does not become the Boy-Who-Lived to destroy the world as a new dark lord!" This time the Wizengamot shouted in agreement. "Let us stop this dark lord in the making!"

Someone in the audience said something about the kiss, while another spoke about the veil. The horror on Harry's face was surprisingly absent. All that practice at hiding his true emotions were at work even as Harry stared his death in the face. Dumbledore was out to kill him.

"No, Wizengamot. Let us show mercy. Let us not sentence Mr. Potter to his death by kiss or the veil. Let us simply sentence Mr. Potter for the crimes that he has committed. Let us send him to Azkaban!" Came Dumbledore's response.

Harry was very glad when Severus interrupted, even if he would have liked him to have done so a little earlier. "Does no one ask why a fourteen year old boy was attacked for nearly an hour with no one to help him? This was a magical duel! With multiple adult wizards against one Hogwarts student who has not even taken his OWLS!" Severus' voice was anger laced as he stared down the Wizengamot.

"How is it that Auror officers didn't react to heavy usage of magic within a muggle neighborhood? How was it that the Ministry failed to send notice to the Aurors about Harry's use of magic at the very start?" Severus demanded.

Pausing to take a breath Severus continued as he looked Dumbledore straight in the eyes, "Has no one,_ no one_, asked themselves why there wasn't anyone sent to help Harry Potter?"

There was silence for a moment before Dumbledore answered, "What happened is irrelevant..."

"Irrelevant!? Mr. Potter used those spells in defense of his life and his cousin's..." Severus interrupted.

Here Dumbledore cut Severus off, "Come know, it is well-known that Mr. Potter hates his relatives." Dumbledore looks over to Madam Bones before continuing, "More to the point, Mr. Potter had other options besides using the dark arts or the Unforgivable Curses."

Severus didn't give Dumbledore any more time to speak, "And if there weren't any other options? Then what?" Severus looks into Fudge's eyes, "We would be mourning the death of the Boy-Who-Lived." Fudge turned an interesting shape as Severus looked to Madam Bones, "Those spells were in his defense! Are you to sentence Mr. Potter to death in Azkaban simply for defending himself?"

Severus walked slowly around the chamber looking over the Wizengamot. "I am not saying not to punish Harry. Disciplinary actions must be taken, but life in Azkaban... Can the Wizengamot really send a child to that place to rot?"

"We will if we must Severus. And I say we must!" Dumbledore commanded.

Snape began to speak again but was interrupted by Madam Bones, "Enough, Mr. Snape. You have made your point. I believe the court is ready to make its decision."

"Yes, we are definitely ready for a vote." Fudge said.

Harry watched in agony as the Wizengamot decided his fate. Before, he had not believed they would have even considered sending him to Azkaban. Now... now, anything could happen.

"I ask the jury to raise their hands if they believe that crimes committed deserve expulsion and a minor sentence in Azkaban." As Fudge finished speaking, he along with a few others, Harry noticed Malfoy, raised their hands. Maybe a dozen of the witches and wizards, but not enough. Not nearly enough.

"Alright then, juries please raise your hand if you believe the crimes committed deserve a life sentence in Azkaban."

Here, the majority of the hands went up, along with Dumbledore and Madam Bones. Fudge muttered slightly to himself while shaking his head. Fudge looked over to Madam Bones for sentencing, who gave a quick nod to the Minister.

"Harry James Potter," she began, but was interrupted by a sickly sweet voice from the back of the chamber.

"Hem-Hem... Excuse me." A toad like shadowy figure moving toward the front of the high benches where Minister Fudge, Dumbledore, and Madam Bones were seated. "Excuse me." It didn't take long before the figure of Umbridge came to settle next to the Minister.

"Can I help you Dolores?" Madam Bones asked icily.

Umbridge ignored her as she handed Minister Fudge a sealed letter. "This was just approved for Mr. Potter's trial, Minister," came her girlish voice.

Fudge looked up at Umbridge in confusion before opening the letter. His eyes read over it quickly before paling considerable. "This is..." He stopped himself from speaking. Looked around to see all eyes on him, before shakily giving the parchment to Madam Bones, "for you to read..."

A sense of dread filled Harry as he looked at Minister Fudge. He looked spooked, scared even. Whatever Umbridge had given him was not something he had been expecting, and was not likely anything good for Harry. At this point, however, Harry didn't really see how his situation could get any worse.

Madam Bones read the parchment and blanched. "This is entirely unnecessary, Dolores. We do _not_ need to go this far." The Wizengamot erupted in conversation.

Umbridge looked Madam Bones in the eyes, glee evident on her face, "It has already been approved. The arrangements are final, Amelia."

Madam Bones looked at the parchment again, clearly checking it for errors. Shaking her head, Madam Bones began to speak again, her voice was unwavering, "Harry James Potter, having already been found guilty, you are here for sentencing. This court convened on the twenty-ninth of July has sentenced you to life in Azkaban. Because of your age, this court finds it imperative to have you serve three consecutive life sentences for the use of the Unforgivable curses, in addition to 65 years for the use of the dark arts for a total of three hundred and five years." Here Madam Bones paused, looked first to Umbridge then Dumbledore. "Moreover, this court finds it necessary to hold you in Anaon."

The court gasped as Madam Bones continued, "The cell in the heart of the prison away from other prisoners that you may be able to influence under the heaviest dementor guard available."

Harry had only heard of rumors about Anaon when he was researching Azkaban his third year. It could not possible exist... The stories...

"This is too much Amelia! I asked the court for mercy not this." Dumbledore replied instantly.

"Did you not call for Potter to be placed within Azkaban?" Umbridge questioned.

"Azkaban, yes, but Anaon? No one has lasted a month in Anaon. I did not ask to sentence the boy to death. This is just too much!" Dumbledore.

"Too much! Nothing is too much for the safety of the wizarding world!" Umbridge replied. "Potter tried to mislead the wizarding world with the so called return of You-Know-Who, when all this time he was the one we should have been wary of. Today marks the end of his terror. What better place to put the vilest wizard of this decade, of this _age_, than Anaon of Azkaban."

Before Dumbledore could argue further, Fudge spoke, "Enough. It has already been done. It cannot be changed... unless, Albus, you want to change your position?" Fudge waited for Dumbledore to respond, but he held his tongue settling back into his seat. "I didn't think so." Fudge shook his head in thought, "The location doesn't matter. We would have done the same thing to You-Know-Who, if he had been captured instead of destroyed."

Severus places his hand firmly on Harry's shoulder taking Harry away from his thoughts. "I'm sorry. I've failed you Harry." The sad look Severus gave him seemed to make this all too real. This man, not the betrayer Sirius, had been like a father to him. Harry only wished he'd put his trust behind this man, instead of his so called godfather.

Severus backed away as the dementors, tall, hooded creatures whose faces were concealed, glided slowly toward him. The chains loosen as the dementors drew near. The cold, his mother's screams, all seemed to be rushing up on him, but he would not succumb. Not yet.

"You will regret this." His voice was soft, yet strong as he spoke directly to the Wizengamot. Harry eyes never leaving Dumbledore's. Umbridge may have sent him to Anaon, but it was Dumbledore's words that had damned him. This lasted for several seconds before the dementors touch was too much...

* * *

Harry woke up in what he could only assume was Anaon. There was a bowl of food on the ground and the dementors were gone. Not far, he could still feel their coldness, but far enough that Harry was able to sit up and eat. The food was tasteless, but filling. After taking care of some very pressing concerns, Harry tried to remember how he got there. The last thing he remembered was the courtroom...

No, that wasn't quite right. Harry remembered his mother and Voldemort. He remembered the basilisk and Ginny. He remembered the fear of a transformed Remus. Harry remembered the Triwizard Tournament well. He'd had nightmares before about the tourney... But mostly, Harry remembered his cupboard. His cupboard had long since been a calming place, but when he was younger...

Harry shook his head of the very vivid memories of the past. Was this how his life was going to be from now on? Haunted by his own memories? It would have been kinder to have sent him across the veil...

Harry's dark thoughts got darker and colder as the dementors returned. In gulfed in a hellish nightmare, Harry slept, or tried to...

A week went by, Harry assumed that each meal marked a day since no light shined in Anaon to help measure the passage of time, when Harry's near constant stream of memories morphed into something more.

Mere memories of the past need not shake Harry as much as the next for he knew the outcome of each event. But his subconscious didn't seem to get the message. He's memories changed, his mother yelled out more, begged longer than he remembered. Sometimes Voldemort would torture her in front of him. Taunting him, showing him things that couldn't possible have happened.

His fight in the chamber ended poorly. He had been careless and the basilisk had crush little Ginny in her sleep. She would then get up and blame him for everything. Why didn't he tell someone about Riddle? She would be alive if only he had trusted his own head of house! He killed her. He'd killed Ginny Weasley, just as Tom had killed Myrtle...

The werewolf had mauled him, then Harry would watch as a faceless man beheaded Remus for his crimes. If he'd not gone out there on his own...

Harry was tortured for weeks with modifications of his memories. Sometimes they would combine. Harry welcomed his true memories as they were far more common than the small breaks the dementors left him to eat. As time went by, even those breaks seemed to disappear. Or perhaps Harry was just so tired he slept through them.

It was about one month from the start of Harry's imprisonment when the memories came true but strong, stronger than they had ever been. The cold was all consuming.

Harry opened his eyes to stare into the cold dead eyes of a dementor. Harry sighed in relief as he closed his eyes. Death would be a sweet release from his nightmares. Anaon could claim another victim. Harry breathed shallowly, he could feel the life force leaving him.

* * *

Harry woke face down on a floor that was neither warm nor cold. There was silence, sweet nothingness surrounded him. No dementors tormented him here. Turning around Harry looked up into the bright mist. This wasn't exactly how he imagined the 'next great adventure' would be, but who was he to say anything about it. Harry lay there just looking up at nothing when a noise reached him, a soft thumping. It was a pitiful sound.

The longer Harry looked the more he would see. Above him glittered a great domed glass roof and all around was whiteness that seemed to clear with time. Harry briefly considered laying there for eternity. He did have all the time in the world. But he was starkers, and that pitiful noise was starting to annoy him. Harry slowly got up and looked down. Now, if only he were wearing clothes. No sooner did the thought leave Harry's mind, did Harry find himself wearing blood-red robes with an intricately worked black phoenix stretched out across it. It was a little known fact that Harry had always been partial to the color red.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The soft thumping noise sounded again. Harry dusted imaginary dust off his robes as he made his way over toward the noise.

"Ah, there you are." Harry spotted the small, naked child with skin raw and rough that was making the pitiful sound. It was struggling to breath, lying unwanted small and fragile. Harry smiled slightly before taking his foot and stomping it out of existence.

No sooner did his foot touched the frail thing, then Harry was overwhelmed by memories upon memories. None, his own.

* * *

It was a dingy orphanage, there were others, fellow orphans, and a control of magic that Harry had never known before. One memory stood out from the rest. There was a young Tom and Dumbledore. A Dumbledore like Harry had never seen before, but that face... Even with fewer wrinkles Harry would never forget that face.

_"I can make things move without touching them. I can make animals do what I want without training them. I can make bad things happen to people who are mean to me. I can make them hurt if I want to... I can speak to snakes too. They find me, they whisper to me."_

A memory of filching things from the other orphans, trophies... The summer trip the orphans went to every summer, and one summer... Oh, Tom, you naughty, naughty boy... The orphanage reminded Harry strongly of his stay at the Dursley. No wonder, Dumbledore had problems trusting him...

_"...poor, but brilliant, parent-less, but so brave, a school prefect, a model student..."_

And there was a group of students, friends in public but truly servants. It was nothing like his relationship to Theo or Tracey or Daphne or Blaise.

Memories of the discovery of the Slytherin ancestry, the Chamber of Secrets, and the taming of the basilisk... The framing of Hagrid for the death of Myrtle... Award for Special Services to the School...

There was Slughorn, the previous head of Slytherin house and potion master at Hogwarts, the slug club... And then there was the creation of Lord Voldemort, and Tom's method for immortality... There was Slughorn again... He should have known better...

_"Well, you split your soul, you see, and hide part of it in an object outside the body. Then, even if one's body is attacked or destroyed, one cannot die, for part of the soul remains earthbound and undamaged. But, of course, existence in such a form... few would want it, Tom, very few. Death would be preferable." __Slughorn spoke._

_"How do you split your soul?" Tom questioned._

_"Well, you must understand that the soul is supposed to remain intact and whole. Splitting it is an act of violation, it is against nature." __Slughorn replied._

_"But how do you do it?" __Tom demanded._

_"By an act of evil - the supreme act of evil. By committing murder. Killing rips the soul apart. The wizard intent upon creating a Horcrux would use the damage to his advantage: he would encase the torn portion..."_

There were memories of Tom discovering his muggle family and the Gaunt bloodline. So, Tom wasn't lying when he'd said they shared a similar background, half-bloods...

There were so many memories... Morfin and Slytherin's ring... The death of Tom Riddle Sr. and the entire Riddle family... The creation of Tom's first and second Horcrux, the ring... the diary... Ah, but there were more... Finding Ravenclaw's diadem, another Horcrux... working for Borgin and Burkes... Hephzibah Smith... She led to two more Horcruxes, Slytherin's locket and Helga Hufflepuff's Cup...

There were more... So many memories... The spells, the dark magic...

The memories from when Tom tried to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts position from Dumbledore... And the curse... No wonder Hogwarts always needed a new DADA professor after each year...

The locations for all of the Horcrux. Now why would you put it there Tom? The memories of hiding the diadem, giving the diary to Malfoy, the locket to Regulus, the Cup to Bellatrix... And the ring, close to home... But you wanted seven, didn't you Tom...

The memories didn't end there. Harry saw the wizarding world's greatest weakness played against them... Outcast creatures, the werewolves, the goblins... And so much more...

* * *

Harry shouted awake repelling the dementors with his snake patronus. Breathing heavily Harry looked at his surroundings. His meals for the past three days were on the ground at their usual place. A hunger that had eluded him returned with a vengeance. If he was going to make it, then he'd need to stop missing meals.

After eating, Harry leaned back on his bunk. Letting his head rest on the hard cold stone wall behind him. He'd been a Horcrux... That was in itself a surprising realization. The diary had been one as well. He'd been close on that front. Harry had known that diary had to have something like a living memory in it to be able to possess, but the creation eluded him.

A Horcrux... It was what Voldemort used to obtain immortality. Unfortunately, Horcrux weren't true immortality. Once the soul left the body, it was defenseless. Horcrux were useless for immortality. Voldemort wanted to be immortal, but all the Horcrux had accomplished was creating seven mortal vessels. Each weaker then the next. No, if one was to pursue immortality, a Horcrux was not the way to go.

Harry took a couple of minutes to let his own thoughts and memories circle around him. "Would you want to live forever?" There were no spiders in his new cupboard, but Harry could pretend. Pretend to be back in Little Whinging talking to his spider companions.

"This world has not been kind to me. No, I don't want it to end yet. But I don't think I'd want it to last forever. I hate to be in agreement with Dumbledore, but there are worst things than death. He's showed me that... I'll live as long as I will. And in that time... I'll make my own world."

Harry waited for the cold of the dementors' return that should have occurred by now, but he felt nothing. 'That's right, wandless patronus charm. That should give me enough time to begin organizing my mind.'

After all, Harry had a brand new set of memories to go through. It would take time. Time to sort and increase his wandless magic. But Harry had all the time in the world. 305 years of it...

* * *

AN: This chapter paraphrases parts from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. With that said, I don't own Harry Potter. That would be JK Rowling.

Notes on Anaon: Anaon is one of my favorite themes for the story, but I can't take all the credit for it. I'd tell you more about Anaon here, but I think that might give away too much. If you want to google it, then go ahead. It will give you a little incite about why I picked the Kingdom of Anaon as our purgatory. If you do chose to look it up, complete unnecessary but if you're bored... Don't bing it. You won't get anything with bing.

Now, don't kill me. I realized after reading all of your reviews that the majority of you thought I was going to go through Harry's Hogwarts years. In the original outline, the prologue was somewhere in the second half of the story. I got some advice from my twin not to have an entire chapter flashback, so I moved it to the front. There will be little flashbacks so you get a bit of a feel for Harry's time at Hogwarts. However, this story is about the Prisoner of Azkaban.

I'll probably write a companion story, or stories, with the first four years of Harry's Hogwarts career, but I won't even start on it until I'm done with this one.

KJ

PS. This was probably not the best edit, so don't be shy to point out where there is grammatical errors or poor flow.


	3. Chapter Two: The Return

**Chapter Two: The Return**

**_... September 29th, 1995 Hogwarts ..._**

Theodore Nott had grown up tall, thin and stringy. He wouldn't ever be on the cover of Witch Weekly or win its Most Charming Smile award. Theodore just didn't have amazing eyes or perfect teeth. And no matter how much he exercised, he was never going to have Harry's built, but that didn't bother him.

In any case, Theodore had plenty of good qualities. If you were to ask Theo, as he preferred to be called, before he'd gone to Hogwarts, he'd tell you he was primarily a clever, but solitary boy. And he had reason to be, after his mother had died... Well, he never really thought that description of himself would change. Then he'd gone to Hogwarts, and on his very first train ride, his world had changed. Theo had met Harry... and Harry... Harry had made him believe that he could do anything, be anyone.

Now five years later, everything he held dear was threatening to fall apart. If Theo had been the same boy five years ago that had gotten on that train for Hogwarts, he would be trying to find the quickest hole to disappear in. But, Theo wasn't that clever, solitary boy anymore.

Of course, that didn't mean Theo wasn't still clever. No, he was still very clever. He liked to think that his time at Hogwarts had made him even more so. The biggest difference between the scared little first year getting on that scarlet train and the young man he was today, was the solid group of friends currently sitting at one of the many comfortable sitting chairs in their hideout.

Theo had never had many friends, but after Harry... Theo looked around. Blaise was sitting near a bookcase talking with Daphne about one thing or another, and Tracey was looking out through a window charmed to displayed the outside of the castle. Theo was sure he would lay his life down for anyone of them. Which was why even though the world seemed to be falling apart, Theo wasn't going to find the nearest hole and throw himself down it.

Theo looked again at his friends. They were missing one member. Probably the most important of them all. Blast it! Harry's absence was the whole reason why everything he and his friends held dear was threatening to fall apart now. Nevertheless, Theo would not let that happen. He was not going to let them fall apart. He'd hold it together with his bare hands if he had too.

That thought brought Theo back to the present. Laying down a journal, Theo opened it to the last page with writing before he began to speak, "So, I've finished rounding off the people who still owe Harry money from that last professional Quidditch match in June. I'll start with the Ravenclaws, Corner..."

Theo was interrupted as the journal was roughly closed by Daphne, "It's over Theo. Harry's gone and he's not coming back. It's time we start doing our own thing."

"No! I'm not going to let everything we worked for just fall apart because of a little setback..." Theo argued.

"A little setback?!" Blaise says as he walks over to the main table. "Bollocks! Harry being gone isn't a little setback, Theo! Draco has been making us pay for being on Harry's side since we got back to Hogwarts!"

"Not that any of the other houses would know," came Tracey's soft but firm voice as she too walked over to the main table.

"Harry's not here to protect us anymore." Blaise said. "What we need to be doing is keeping a low profile, not collecting debts!"

"So, you're just going to roll over!" Theo looked around at his friends faces. Blaise and Daphne looked a little shamed after his statement, but unmoved. Tracey had a fire in her eyes, that gave Theo hope, so he continued, "I know I won't give up. I will not betray Harry!" Theo voice didn't raise above a normal volume, but it was clear he was upset.

"He's gone Theo." Daphne spoke softly. "He's not just gone. Harry's in Anaon." Daphne shook her head sadly before patting Theo on the shoulder.

"My dad's told me stories about Anaon." Tracey said, "It's a horrible place Theo. It makes Azkaban look like a Weird Sisters concert. A little loud and uncomfortable, but overall just annoying."

"If Harry's in Anaon. He's probably already dead. Or have you forgotten, Theo?" Blaise replied.

Theo had not forgotten. He remembered. He remembered all too well.

* * *

**_Flashback (July 29th)_**

Theodore had been sitting at the table eating dinner across from his father when a special edition of the Daily Prophet arrived. There weren't many things that could get a special edition, which made Theo a little worried. He'd not heard from Harry about visiting on his birthday for the rest of the summer. Harry was never late about these things. In truth, Theo had been expecting a reply to his owl on the twenty-seventh. When his owl had returned without the message, Theo had just sent it out again, and again each day.

After last year's events with the offer the Dark Lord gave Harry at the end of the tournament, Theo was worried about an attack. You didn't turn the Dark Lord down and live to tell about it.

So, it was with trepidation that Theo watched his dad open the Daily Prophet.

BOY-WHO-LIVED SENTENCED TO ANAON!

A picture of Harry in chains surrounded by dementors. This had to be the most cocked up joke Theo had every read. "Dad let me read that first."

Seeing the front page, Mr. Nott turned over the paper to his son. He'd had Harry over enough times to be concerned as well. He still needed to find a way to get from under the Dark Lord's thumb. The old age excuse wouldn't last forever...

Theodore found himself reading the article as if he were on a train speeding into a brick wall. The first sentence alone was enough for him to want to crawl into a hole and never come out again.

_Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, was sentenced today to Azkaban in a never before seen trial. Mr. Potter was accused and found guilty of the use of the Unforgivable Curses and numerous other dark curses..._

Theo wanted to stop reading, but couldn't. He needed to know what happened.

_Not even a year away from winning the Triwizard competition, one of the youngest Triwizard champion to do so, Mr. Potter also becomes the first underage wizard to be accused of using the Unforgivable Curses. This fact alone is why a sentencing trial was held instead of an official trial._

_As Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Susan Bones had this to say about Mr. Potter, "It is without a doubt that Mr. Potter preformed those spells. There is no possibility that he was under Imperious when he preformed these spells based on information provide and witnessed by more than thirty of Mr. Potter's peers that he was immune to the Imperious Curse. Therefore, the trial held this morning was not to determine guilt, but to determine how we were to punish Mr. Potter."_

_Now, some of my readers may be confused. After all, it is common knowledge that the use of the Unforgivable Curses is a life sentence in Azkaban. However, since no one under the age of seventeen has every be found guilty of using the Unforgivable Curses, it was unknown if it would be appropriate to send a fourteen year old boy to Azkaban for the rest of his life. The court had been split before the trial began..._

Theo continued to read the article hoping that Skeeter was only being sensational.

_As a prominent member of the Wizengamot, Mr. Malfoy had this to say before the trial, "Our children make mistakes all the time, is this not to be considered a mistake too? Sending any child to Azkaban for life should not be done lightly. I don't believe it should ever be done."_

_That sentiment seemed to be held by the majority of the Wizengamot before the trial. But, after witness from Ronald Weasley a classmate of Mr. Potter and Sirius Black, Mr. Potter's own godfather, the Wizengamot was in a slightly different opinion..._

Theo was a little surprised by Malfoy's comment in Harry's favor, but not surprised by the Wizengamot. Harry was still the Boy-Who-Lived, the wizarding world owed him. Not that everyone seemed to remember that...

_Mr. Ronald Weasley seemed to believe with good reason that Mr. Potter was getting involved in the dark arts as early as first year._

_"...Always picking on anyone who wasn't a Slytherin. I'm pretty sure he was starting to get in the dark arts from some of the older Slytherin around that time..." - Ron Weasley_

_After hearing Mr. Weasley's testimony, it became clear that Dumbledore had been hiding the fact that Mr. Potter seemed to always be involved in some of the most controversial events that has transpired in the last four years at Hogwarts. Slowly gathering followers and knowledge of the dark arts._

Theodore didn't think anyone at that court should have listened to anything Weasley had to say, but idiots came in all shapes and sizes...

_Of course it was pointed out that Mr. Weasley being a Grffindor was extremely bias against Slytherins. Thus, his testimony alone would not have condemned Mr. Potter. However, the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot seemed to have planned for this by getting Mr. Potter's own godfather to testify against him. _

_"... what I'm trying to say is that despite Ron's bias against Slytherin, he is right. Moreover, if I, his godfather, couldn't get him to change his path in a year. Then a couple of years in Azkaban isn't going to change Harry. If anything it would make things worse__... I'm recommending the court to treat Harry like any other adult wizard. Forget about his fame. Forget about his age. Treat Harry like any other dark wizard who used an Unforgivable Curse, and sentence him to Azkaban... for life." - Sirius Black_

Theodore must have re-read that section several times before moving on. He was completely horrified to read that Black, Harry's own godfather, had testified against him...

_Mr. Potter has been on a dark path. A path that would have led to another dark lord. The ever forgiving Dumbledore didn't want to give his savior a free pass again either. Going so far as to say "...the future looked dark with a free Mr. Potter."_

_But I and many of the others there were still confused with a need to send Mr. Potter to Azkaban. Both the Minister of Magic and the Head of the Magical Law Enforcement seemed to agree with me._

_"...Mr. Potter could not be much of a threat to the wizarding world half-trained and wandless." - Cornelius Fudge_

_"...Mr. Potter is nothing but a half-trained wizard, who will not be able to harm anyone else once expelled from Hogwarts and his wand destroyed." - Amelia Bones_

_But it turns out that Headmaster Dumbledore knew more than he'd ever let on about the raise of You-Know-Who._

_"...I have seen a student like Mr. Potter before... thrust for power...excel ... gather followers. And I have seen that orphan become the dark lord Voldemort cause so much death and destruction. I will **not** see another Voldemort created under my watch!" - Albus Dumbledore_

Dumbledore... Theo wasn't surprised about Dumbledore's comments. The comments that probably sent Harry to Azkaban...

_Even with all the Headmaster said, he wanted to show mercy on Mr. Potter despite several of the Wizengamot call for the Kiss or the Veil. The Wizengamot was all set to send Mr. Potter to Azkaban when Madam Dolores Umbridge made her appearance. With Madam Umbridge's actions, Mr. Potter was sent to Anaon instead of the regulation section of Azkaban._

_"...Nothing is too much for the safety of the wizarding world... Today marks the end of his terror. What better place to put the vilest wizard of this decade, of this __age_, than Anaon of Azkaban..." - Dolores Umbridge

_She had this to say about her comments during the hearing, "He thought he could fool the wizarding world. Confuse us, have us looking in the wrong direction. Spouting lies that You-Know-Who was back. To have the wizarding world looking for a dead man when we should have been looking into how a fourth year Hogwart's student could possibly win the Triwizard Tourney."_

_I have to agree with her. Today marks the beginning of a bright future for the wizarding world. The most heinous criminal of our time will never become the next dark lord. The wizarding world can rest easy now that Harry Potter has been stopped._

Theo looked again at the last part of the article. He didn't know much about Umbridge, but that would change. She had sent Harry to Anaon, but it was still clear that it wouldn't have been possible without Dumbledore's support.

The Special Edition paper didn't end there. There were other stories. The majority of the stories centered around Harry's trial. A small story about the History of Anaon Prisoners. Another about the fable of Anaon... That had been the worst.

_"...Damnation to Anaon of Azkaban means an eternity of unrelenting physical torment..."_

Put everything in that paper together, and it was all but assured that Harry would die in that prison. If history was to repeat itself based off of the History of Anaon Prisoners story, then Harry wouldn't even last a month.

**_End Flashback_**

* * *

No. Theo remembered all too well. He remembered the anguish that he went through right after he'd read the news. He had gone up to his room, confused and filled with despair. Theo had been ready to give up right then and there. And if Theo hadn't bumped into the small chest that Harry had given him, then he might have given up. However, finding that chest had changed his path. Within the chest housed the valuables that Harry couldn't bring with him back to his relatives.

There hadn't been much. An expensive looking jewel that Harry had been keeping since first year. Harry's journal of accounts. Theo knew it held all the people who owed Harry money in it. Theodore went to pick it when his hand brushed against a tiny golden key. Holding the key up. Theo couldn't help remembering Harry giving him his vault key and the papers that granted him limited access to his vault.

_"If anything were to happen to me Theo, I'm counting on you to take care of my things."_ Harry had said to him. There had been no threats, no doubts that Theo could do it. Harry had handed him the key and the paperwork, said that one sentence, then they'd left their shared dorm room to go catch the train. That had only been four months ago...

"I'm not giving up. I'm not going to let everything Harry... Everything we," Theo looked at his remaining friends before continuing, "worked for go to waste. Harry will be back. And when he does return. I'm going to be ready." Taking a deep breath Theo continued, "Are you with me?"

* * *

As Harry had already learned, he had not just destroyed the piece of Voldemort's soul embedded in his forehead, but Harry had also absorbed Voldemort's memories. And there was a lot to learn from them.

Spells, rituals, magic Harry had never even dreamed existed. There was so much knowledge. Too much. It took time to sort through the useless memories from the interesting, the memories with no magic versus the ones with new magic. But each new memory brought with it a store of information. Harry was sure it would have taken him more than twenty-five years to have accumulated all of this knowledge on his own.

Harry spent the next several years alternating between training his mind and magic with training his body. Harry couldn't do the same things he would have with a two or three meal diet; he _was_ still growing. So it was absolutely important that Harry didn't over do the exercise. Yet without it, his increasing magical power would have put a burden on his body which would have amounted to the same thing as over exercise. Using more energy than he was consuming.

With a routine in place, Harry learned. As Harry grow in power, he could banish the dementors for longer and longer periods of time. In fact, it turned out that the dementors didn't bring him food. Tasteless food would appear at the same place at the same time every day. Harry had studied the runes very carefully, before determining the food was being sent from somewhere within the prison. Most likely the kitchens. He wouldn't be able to use the kitchen to get out of Anaon. There would be too many wards against it.

Still, Harry had time. So, he trained and he grew stronger. The dementors where both the strength and the weakness to this prison. Harry had reviewed his memory of the fateful kiss during his first month here at Azkaban. The dementors could open the door to his cell. If Harry could overpower the dementors without triggering the failsafe of the cell door, which seemed to close as soon as he used the Patronus Charm, then he'd be home free... Or wherever home was now-a-days...

So, Harry was patient. Each time the dementors came. Harry let them in, then tried something new with the dementors.

It was six years in Azkaban before Harry got it right...

'The screams were the most unholy thing he had ever heard.' Harry thought absentmindedly as he ripped apart another dementor taking its essence, a red gem-like object that seemed to have whirling blackness within it.

It was a long walk from Anaon to the main prison, but Harry didn't mind. The dementors didn't realize they should run away from him until they were nearing the exit to the prison. Harry watched as the last of the dementors ran, drifted really, away from the prison. Harry looked out the doors to the sea. There was light out. Not much, but light. Harry watch the oranges dance in the sky as the sun set.

He could leave Azkaban. He was free. 305 years? A chuckle escaped his lips. Six years in Anaon of Azkaban. The most vile place on earth for the most vile criminals. And now... He was free.

But free to do what? What was out there for him? Was he going to be on the run for the rest of his life? Never to stay in one place for long periods of time? Harry thought about his friends. They would open their homes to him, but could he ask them? Can he put his friends in danger like that? Having to hide him? He'd just trade one prison for another...

As Harry was contemplating what to do, one of the inmates called out, "Hey, kid!"

Harry turned around letting the setting sun fall on his back.

"Over here." Harry saw an older man in his mid to late forties with dark brown hair waving him over. The man was in a cell on the other side of the hall near the doorway that led deeper into the prison. There were others here too, but only the old man had called out, so Harry walked over to him bypassing the rest.

"You think you could let me out of here? I mean you did just destroy all of those dementors so..." the old man questioned.

Harry didn't reply with words. Instead he waved his hand over the lock and released the old man. Once the older man was out, he shook Harry's hand and introduced himself. "Name's Jim McCaffer. Been here ten years. Never thought I'd see this side of a cell again."

"Oi! Let me outta here too!" A young man in the cell right next to Jim's shouted. He looked like he was in his teens. "You can tell him your life story later!"

"That's Danny. He's a good kid. Been in here for a few months for filching some rich lady's necklace." Jim explained as Harry moved over to free Danny too.

Once Danny was free, everyone in the prison seemed to think it safe to yell for their freedom too. So Harry made his way slowly from one cell to the next unlocking them. With Jim by his shoulder telling him little pieces of information about each inhabitant.

Once finished, Harry took a heavy seat on a bench near one of the prison walls. He briefly closed his eyes, leaned back and rested his head against the cold wall. He'd used a lot of energy fighting the dementors and freeing the other prisoners. He wouldn't have the energy to escape for now.

Opening his eyes, Harry say Jim and a large group of the inmates encircling him. Harry had seen some of the prisoners escape, but the majority seemed to expect something more of him.

"What are all of you still doing here? You're free now." Harry spoke soft but strongly.

"I could say the same thing to you, but you're still here." Jim answered. Pointing behind him Jim continued, "I don't know about any of these guys. But me... I don't have anywhere else to go." Several of the other inmates nodded along with Jim. Danny's head was bobbing up and down in his agreement. "I'm thinking that with a little work. This place wouldn't be a bad place to call home. I mean without the dementors, Azkaban is just a rundown castle."

"Sure is" Danny was among many who replied to Jim's statement in agreement.

Harry looked around. He'd never thought of Azkaban as a place to live. At least not willingly. But now that he thought about it. Every dark lord had to have a dark lair... "Is that so..." Harry said as he closed his eyes and leaned heavily on the wall.

Jim looked over at Harry in concern, "Shite! Are you alright?" Not waiting for a reply, Jim turned around, "Hey, someone get this man some food! They don't feed him as much as they feed us."

How Jim knew that, Harry would never know. What he did know was that he was thankful for him.

"They don't feed us that well neither..." Danny's voice came back in reply.

"So you can see the man needs some food. He just blow up all those dementors wandlessly! He's got to have used up a lot of magic..." Jim trailed off as he looked at Harry who had yet to open his eyes again.

"Oh. Oh. I'll get him something to get. I love to cook!" Jim didn't see the guy who spoke up, but he could hear his footsteps echo down the hall that Jim knew led to the kitchens.

As the prisoners waited for the return of the cook, small conversations broke out as Jim guarded Harry's resting body. Fifteen minutes later the brown haired cook came back with a large pot of food and a couple of bowls. Dishing out a bowl and some bread to Harry the cook spoke, "It won't taste the best, since I didn't want you to have to wait and all."

It could have tasted like dung and Harry still would have eaten it. As it was, Harry didn't really take the time to see if the cook had any real talent. After three bowls, Harry felt a renewed energy. Looking at that crowd, he knew he had something here, but...

"So, Boss. What do you want us to do next?" Jim looked at him expecting.

"Boss? Not yet. I'd like to be your boss, but... how can I trust you?" Harry replied. Harry had learned long ago that less was more. If they really wanted his leadership they would answer that question for him.

"I've spent the majority of my life avoiding getting branded like cattle by You-Know-Who. I'm not going to get branded by you no matter how strong you are." Came a woman's voice from the middle of the crowd.

"I don't need to brand you. I just need to trust you. Right now, I don't see how that would work out." Harry shook his head and was about to tell them they'd have to find someone else to be their boss when Jim interrupted him.

"What if we swear on our magic? Would that work? It's not a branding, but it will prove we stay loyal to you." Jim looked around and saw some agreement within the crowd.

"Do you even know who I am?" Harry had yet to introduce himself to anyone. His hair had grown out from the time being in Anaon, so that it covered his scar. His glasses had been broken some time ago. Without Voldemort's knowledge, Harry would have been having trouble seeing. It was a legitimate question, so Harry was surprised when Jim laughed at him.

"Do I know who you are? Ha, ha, haaaa. I've been in this prison long enough to know that only one prisoner has been sentenced to Anaon in the last century. That prisoner is you, Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived. I know who you are, why you're in here, and how long you were suppose to be here." Jim looked directly in Harry's eyes as he continued, "I, James Sebastian McCaffer, swear on my magic to always be loyal to you, Harry James Potter, my lord and master." Jim put his hand down as he continued to speak, "The wizarding world will regret the day they sent you to Anaon, and I'm going to make sure they do."

The magic was instantaneous. Harry both felt and saw Jim's pledge to him. Danny was next, then the cook, and the rest of the remaining prisoner soon followed. Not all of them worded it the same way. Some tried to make sure there would be a loop-hole to save their lives if every something wrong happened. But even those were accepted by Harry's magic.

There was clear excitement in the voices of the recently freed inmates. Harry smiled slightly, this was the start of something new. He would need to get in touch with Theo to get some funds to renovate Azkaban. A yawn escaped Harry's mouth. 'First, I'll need to rest.' Harry's eyes found Jim who was talking with the cook, Danny nearby adding his two cents, "Jim."

"Yes, Boss?" Jim walked back over to Harry.

"If we are to do this right, then we will need access to my accounts..." Harry began.

"What do you need me to do?" Harry liked that Jim didn't ask too many questions. Jim was ready to get right to work. That would make this easier.

"I need you to go see a friend of mine, Theodore Nott. Tell Theo," here Harry paused in thought. "Tell him, 'The dark lord has returned', he'll know what to do."

Jim gave Harry a big smile, before nodding his head, "I'll be back by the time you wake up!"

Walking toward the exit to Azkaban, Danny walked in step with Jim. "So, the big Boss put ya in charge of gettin' some funds?"

"It would seem so." Jim replied.

"I think ya might be needin' some of me services." Before Jim could reply, Danny continued, "Ya may need to filch somethin'."

Jim laughed in Danny's face at that, "Ha! And why would I take a thief from Azkaban? Seems to me your little heist didn't go over so well, huh? Or did you just walk yourself into Azkaban?"

"Hey, now. That was just one bad lift." Jim had stopped walk since they had reached the door to freedom. Danny walked around Jim so that he was in front before continuing, "Bird had a spell on her jewelry. It took'em weeks before they found me and they only found me 'cause I didn't take the spell off right." Jim started to walk around Danny, "really valuable necklace."

"I'm sorry Danny. But you're just a kid." Jim said as he opened the door to freedom.

"Wait! Ya need me. See, how ya goin' to get a wand? How ya plannin' on findin' the place? I got connections, see... I can help." Seeing Jim was on the hook Danny put the icing on the cake, "Ya havn't been out in forever... Ya. Need. Me."

Jim took a few minutes to consider. "Alright, lad. You can come." With that Jim swung open the doors and left with Danny following closely by his side.

* * *

It was well past midnight when Theodore Nott took a break from reviewing his notes and checking the books. Theo knew he should go to bed, but at the young age of 21 he had inherited a great deal of responsibility. So a late night like tonight was to be excepted.

Tonight was one of many nights where his work was hampered by his own mind, which seemed to be going a thousand miles in the wrong direction. These days the young Lord Nott was head of house, and taking care of his old man. Or that was the story he and his father had spun Voldemort. His own excuse combined the first. As a young new head of house, Theodore just didn't have the time or the knowledge to be both a Death Eater and Lord Nott.

Theo smiled to himself in thought. It was a small price the Nott family paid instead of service to Voldemort's cause. Neither Voldemort or his Death Eaters knew how much money Theo was making in investments. He liked to let them keep believing that the Nott income was the same as when his father was in charge of the accounts. Small price indeed. It made life easier on everyone around.

Everyone. That brought Theo's thoughts back to his friends, which happened a lot these days. They were one more down now. Tracey hadn't transitioned as well as the rest. She'd been a target for the Death Eaters because of her half-blood status. The poor thing had been in love with Harry, and a little too out spoken against the Death Eaters. Even with Theo's pureblood status, he'd never spoken out against the Death Eaters. Theo sighed. Tracey was in a better place now.

Moreover, Theo had spent the last two years since her death getting all of the names and information on the perpetrators. There were all new recruits at the time, no real name to them, no living family, and no clear value to Voldemort. All the same, Theo knew Harry would want to take care of them when he was back. So Theodore had their names, addresses, favorite places to hangout, and all of their known associates.

As for the rest of his friends, Theo knew he had the easiest job, safest too.

Although Daphne was doing well with her sister cozying up to Draco Malfoy, she had the dangerous job of collecting information on Voldemort's movements and other activities. Theo thought Daphne was well suited for this job in comparison to him or Blaise. As a woman, Daphne played up the delicate sensitivity to get out of Voldemort's main forces. Theo chuckled at the idea of Daphne and delicate being used in the same sentence, but she pulled it off. Well enough that the Voldemort had not thought it necessary to give Daphne the dark mark.

In wizarding society, Daphne was a little known supporter of Voldemort, giving her security on both sides. Still, it was a dangerous job, but necessary as Daphne was in a position to get Harry all the information that he needed to know. Theo was keeping a journal of all the activities she reported and activities that Theo found out on his own. He'd been keeping that journal since the middle of his fifth year, when Theo had first noticed Voldemort movements.

He'd also been keeping tabs on Umbridge. Surprisingly, the woman had not been having a good time. Fudge had demoted her right after the incident. Theo had gotten her fired two years ago, and was personally making sure she couldn't find any place of employment. At least not within the wizarding world... Theo was keeping close track of her whereabouts, sure that Harry would want to know.

Theo sighed heavily as he thought of Blaise. Out of the three of them, Blaise had the hardest time coming up with excuses for not joining Voldemort, which was why Blaise was currently MIA. Well, not completely missing. Both Theo and Daphne knew where he was, mostly in Italy gathering strength and supplies for when Harry came back. Blaise frequently made trips across Europe gathering potential allies. Meeting with dark creatures was dangerous business. Nevertheless, if anyone was suited to the job, it was Blaise.

He just had a way with talking his way out of instant death. Theodore still remembered Blaise's recount of how he managed to postpone joining Voldemort and lived to tell about. If what Daphne said about that day was true, then Voldemort had been having a very bad day indeed. It's not any wizard that can tell Voldemort 'no' when he's having an off week.

Yet, Blaise seems to be able to work around dangerous species well. So far, Blaise had been able to convince the other magical species to hold back from joining with Voldemort. Theo was still going over his last report. It seemed like Dumbledore was also working the magical creatures angle, but the Goody Two-Shoes didn't stand a real chance. Besides, what could Dumbledore promise them? Nothing, but the 'Greater Good'.

Theo was in charge of scheduling meetings for the group. He made sure they meet at least four times a year, mostly on low profile holiday's and the like. Theo liked to have the meetings quarterly, but depending on activities of the year the number of meetings increased.

Along with scheduling meetings and keeping records, Theo was also in charge of the main finances. Every since fifth year the group had let him handle debts, investments and other financial decisions. Theo had followed Harry's wishes by investing in the Weasley's joke shop as a full third partner, which was one of their most lucrative businesses. He had also invested in some of the products that he remembered Harry talking about during summer holidays and over breakfast. Those investments were also doing well. Now, Theo spent a large portion of his time finding and researching new products that were in the same line as their previous investments. A little money here, and a little money there had made Harry and the group very rich.

Moreover, since Theodore was named on Harry's vault, he had been able to keep it open. Therefore, all of the investments that Harry had made before his extended stay at Azkaban were still in effect. Not having Harry's assets frozen added a really nice bonus to Harry's overall accounts. Theo was sure that when Harry got back he'd be pleased with what they had done as a group.

Theodore had maybe another four years, before he expected Harry to walk through his door. He was sure that it wouldn't take Harry more than ten years to find a way to escape. If that dog could do it in little more than ten years, then so could Harry. Even if he had to teach himself how to become an animagus, Theo had faith that Harry could do what no one had ever done before, and escape from Anaon.

Theo shook his head slightly. He really needed to get to bed. There was just too much to do tomorrow...

Knock. Knock. Knock.

There weren't many people who would disturb him at this hour, and if they did it could be for only a few reasons. Theo hurried to the door, calling to the house elf to get the first aid as he went to open it. He'd been expecting to find Daphne or Blaise nearly dying at his door, but what he found was two strange men wearing ill fitted long black cloaks.

"Wotcha, Nott" said the younger of the two men.

"Who are you?" Theo signaled behind him for Twinky to get ready for a fight. They'd practiced for this moment.

"I would be Jim, and this young gentleman would be Danny. Where here about a mutual friend?" said the older of the two.

"Mutual friend? Somehow I doubt that any friend of mine would be associated with thieves."

Theo got ready to shut the door in their faces, when the older thief, Jim, spoke. "Even with the return of the Dark Lord?"

Theo paused, then looked again at the two men. They were wearing tattered clothes underneath the black cloaks. In fact, he'd seen clothes like this in pictures of escaped Azkaban prisoners.

"I think we'll want to have this conversation inside..." Jim trailed off.

Danny looked around nervously before nodding in agreement. "Don't think we was followed, but ya never can be too sure..."

"Please come in." Turning around Theo addressed Twinky, "Would you please get some refreshments? This men are likely very hungry."

"Yes, sir."

Theo walked them into his study, "Please sit." After pouring some of his finest fire whiskey into three glasses, Theo joined them.

Danny drank his glass greedily, "Woo! That's some really fancy stuff."

"I have to agree. This is very good." Came Jim more reserved reply as he sipped his drink.

"It should be, as it's my most expensive bottle." Theo took a small sip as he eyed his two 'guests'.

Danny looked down at his glass, finished it off, then stuck his glass out for more, "Mind fillin' her up, mate?"

Theodore raised an eyebrow but compiled.

"Try to drink it a little slower lad. We still got to make the trip back. I can't do it with you plum drunk!"

"Alright, alright. Old man. Whatever you say." Danny took a much smaller sip in response.

Theo studied them over his glass. Was this some kind of ruse or was Harry really back? When the food got there, Theo let them eat as he contemplated how to approach his current situation. If this was a ruse, then saying anything about Harry would destroy them. But if Harry was back... There were so many pros and cons to be considered about approaching the topic directly as opposed to indirectly. And most of them centered around Harry. There was just no way for him to know for sure that these men were sent by Harry.

Unfortunately for Theodore, the food didn't last long enough for him to come up with a sound plan. It was best to just get it done with.

"Now, that you've had your fill. Tell me, what is this about?"

"Well, it's like this. By now you've already figured out we're escaped convicts from Azkaban. I'm Jim McCaffer, you probably not heard of my crimes, but it's safe to say I'm not supposed to be out yet, well ever. Danny over here really is a thief, took the wrong hand bag, if you know what I mean..."

"Hey, it was a gold necklace. Just had to many charms for me to sell it off..." Danny interrupted.

"Well, besides that you're probably wondering why the Boss didn't come here his self, now that he was free and all." Jim waited for Theodore's reply.

"Yes, that would be the most important question along with why you two _are_ here."

"They're both one and the same. The Boss didn't just break out of Anaon. He destroyed our guards."

"The dementors? Impossible." Theo couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd known Harry was powerful, but that powerful...

"Not for the Boss. Saw it with me own two eyes" Danny nodded seriously.

"That's right. So the Boss destroys the dementors and doesn't know what to do with himself, so I tell him to let us out of prison."

"Kind heart the Boss man has, kind heart." Danny adds.

"I'll not say all of the prisoners stayed to thank the Boss for his kindness, but there were a lot of us, one hundred or so. Now, it won't be long before the government gets wind of the dementors disappearance from Azkaban. They won't believe they're destroyed but they will know they're missing, along with a number of the prisoners. We'd be hounded and hunted, and a lot of us don't have any place to go. So I put the idea out there for the Boss that we could fix up Azkaban as home. Without the dementors, it's just a lonely castle off the coast of England."

"I see. Harry must have used up too much magic to get here himself. Am I correct?" Theodore inquired.

"Yup, Boss man is sleeping it off." Danny added causally.

"If Harry really wants to fix up Azkaban, then he'll need money." Theo got up to look through his papers on a nearby desk. "We'll need to setup a fake guard company with all of the prisoners' names and identification." Theo separated several pieces of parchment from the pile on his desk. "I'll get some funds to start with wardrobe and the like. I can also setup a contracting company. We'll want barracks in the prison so that we can have twenty-four hour guard." Theodore nodded, before turning back to Jim and Danny. "Give me the names and descriptions of the inmates and I'll have all of the paperwork drawn up within the next couple of days. The documents will be on Fudge's desk within the week."

Jim nodded in his approval, "Then a toast for the return of the Dark Lord."

"Yes, a toast." Theo added.

Danny raised his glass in agreement, "A toast!"

* * *

... **_One week later..._**

Fudge was having a problem. Well more than one, but they all stemmed from the same source. The dementors had left Azkaban. Surprisingly enough, there wasn't nearly as many escaped prisoners as there could have been. And for the ones that had escaped, the Magical Law Enforcement Department was catching them pretty quickly. No, the real problem was that Azkaban was currently unguarded. He didn't dare put Auror Officers on guard duty. One wrong word and the whole wizarding world would know about this mass breakout. No, Cornelius Fudge did not become one of the longest lasting Ministers in magical history by letting scandals like this one get out. And Fudge planned on being Minister for another ten years. So that meant he needs to fix this, and fix it quietly.

Minister Fudge was just about to call in a favor from Lucius, when he knocked over his 'to do' pile. He'd been putting off any other work in favor of solving this Azkaban problem. Just as he was fixing the pile back up, one of the forms caught his eye.

PRIVATE GUARD COMPANY REQUEST FORM

Fudge didn't even know they had forms for requesting a private guard. He took that one out of the pile to read. "Let's see. Private company wants to guard the holding cells in the Ministry."

Fudge laughed as he found his solutions. One redirection later, and the ANKOU Company was hired to guard Azkaban. They weren't likely to make a big fuss either, since Fudge was planning on paying them triple their asking price.

So pleased with his accomplishment, Fudge decided to take lunch early. He hadn't gotten very far before bumping into Lucius. "Hello, Lord Malfoy. It a pleasure to see you. I was just about to go to lunch. Would you care to join me?"

"It would be my pleasure." Malfoy bowed to Fudge telling him to lead the way.

Sometime in the middle of their lunch the conversation sifted topics.

"I hope all has been going well." Lucius inquired.

"Oh, yes. Things are running very smoothly." Fudge smiled happily to himself.

"Nothing going wrong? I'm sure I could help if you needed anything." Lucius pressured the topic.

Fudge smiled brightly, he knew he would have been able to count on Lucius. But it was better that no one know about the dementors. Wouldn't want to give Lucius another thing to hang over his head. "No, no problems at all. But if I do run across something I can't solve, then I'll be sure to owl you. Thank you for the concern, Lucius."

"Yes, well. I live to serve." There was a slight frown on Lucius' face, but Fudge wrote it off as nothing. He was just in too good of a mood to let anything bring him down.

* * *

... **_Three months later_**...

Harry lay atop his bed deep in thought. It had been a busy three months since his Azkaban takeover. A week after Harry had sent Jim to talk with Theo, Theo had come to Azkaban in the guise of surveying the property to meet with him. It had been the first time since the train ride home so long ago that Harry had seen any of his friends. He was glad it was Theodore. Unfortunately, Theo had not had all good news.

**... Flashback...**

"Harry..." Theo spoke softly. "It's so good to see you." Theodore moved as if to hug Harry, but stopped short thinking better of his actions. Instead, he clasped forearms with him.

"Brother." Harry replied. "Come sit with me." They sat down on Harry's bed at the back of his cell in Anaon. "Is Anaon what you thought it would be? Without the dementors, it just seems... cold."

Theo looked around letting the silence wash over them before he turned to Harry, "Come home with me, Harry. I've a wing just for you. You needn't stay here anymore."

Harry paused in thought before answering Theodore, "No, I cannot leave my people just as I have promised to lead them." Harry shook his head as he continued, "I cannot trade one prison, no matter how fancy, for another. This is what my freedom looks like." Harry nodded to the open cell door a little more than two feet in front of him.

"Is there no way I can convince you to leave Anaon?"

"Anaon is my home now, and soon it will be a glorious home. Thanks to you, Theo. Thanks to you." Harry put his arm briefly across Theodore's shoulders. It was the closest thing to a hug Harry was capable of doing. Probably now and forever. "Tell me. How are the others?"

Theo paused before he answered, "Daphne has gotten in close with Voldemort's inner circle. She's gotten a wealth of information." Theo handed Harry a well used journal. "I've written everything she's learned in here."

Harry nodded as he accepted the book, "I trust she had not taken the dark mark."

"Never. I've managed to use my youth as a shield from the mark. Daphne has used her... Shall we say, delicate nature to not join."

Harry laughed heartily at that, "Daphne. Ha! Ha! Haa! Delicate? Ha! Haa!"

Theo chuckled as well, "I know. It's hard to believe anyone would buy it. But Daphne's good at acting."

Harry smiled coldly, "She was always good at convincing the other houses of her innocence. Still, I'd think Blaise would have better luck deep in Voldemort's camp. He could talk his way out of anything."

Theo nodded, "And he did. Talked his way out of getting the dark mark or dying. To England and most of the wizarding world here, Blaise has dropped off the face of the Earth."

"But in reality..."

"Blaise has been in Europe contacting dark creatures and the like that have been oppressed one way or another by the wizarding world. Mostly convincing them not to join forces with Voldemort." Theo nodded to the journal unopened in Harry's hands. "His success and promises are also in there for you to review. Although, I imagine you will be seeing them both very soon. They will be able to tell you everything in person. Anything you have questions on, the move for the future..."

"No. I don't want them here until after the reconstruction. You shouldn't come to often either. We don't need a lot of scrutiny until we're ready to handle it."

"Alright then. I'll not call for a meeting until then." Theodore nodded in agreement.

"What of Tracey? I'm sure she will be thrilled to see me." The smile in Harry's eyes changed as Theodore avoided eye contact.

"I'm sorry. We've failed you in this regard."

Harry stood and paced for a short while before speaking harshly to Theodore, "Tell me what's happened. Tracey would never betray me."

"No, she was loyal to you to the last. Too loyal. Too outspoken. She became an acceptable target for Voldemort's hit list." Theodore handed Harry an unlabeled folder before continuing, "This is all the information on the three men who were apart of her murder. It has all of their information including their known acquaintances, their habits, known hanging spots, and the like." Theodore paused as he watched Harry read the folder before him, "I thought you would want to take care of it, so I haven't moved on them."

Harry raised his head from the folder, "Yes. Good job Theo. I'll take care of this tonight. If that's all..."

Theo hesitated in response, "There is one more thing you should know."

"What is it Theo?" Harry's reply was sharp.

"I thought you might want to know of Umbridge's fate." Theodore saw the Harry's face held no patience. "Minister Fudge demoted her right after your trial. It would seem that she has had extremely bad luck ever since. I didn't know if you would want to target her yet. She has many enemies, but the connection between you two is still too strong." The look on Harry's face showed that he did not care about the connection. "If you truly do not want to be noticed, then I would suggest going after her once we're settled. But it is your decision."

"I'll take your opinion into consideration." Harry turned back around, "Now, if that's all..."

Theo stood up in response, "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask." Theodore paused before adding, "My lord" as he turned away from Harry to take the fifteen minute walk back to Azkaban.

**...End flashback...**

Harry had left Umbridge for another time. Instead, he'd taken care of Tracey's killers that night. The nobodies had begged and pleaded. Harry had not taken little enjoyment from his task, but he'd made sure he did not kill them quickly. Harry gutted them and let them bleed out for hours as their body burned slowly from the inside out. Harry could yet say if the burning had slowed the bleeding or quickened their death, but once it was all said and done. Harry strung them up outside of their houses, and cut their heads off with a scythe. Harry placed their heads next to their feet and jammed the end of the scythe inside of the skull. Harry had summoned the most expensive thing that the killers had within their homes as a gift to Tracey. Those gifts currently sat on his bookshelf next to a picture of the five friends...

The picture brought him back to his initial thoughts. Today was the day he would meet Blaise and Daphne again. The overhaul of Azkaban and Anaon had finally been completed. The work should have taken at least six months without complications, but with his help they had managed to get it down to three. Theo had spent a great deal of money to get the goblins to lead construction, while Harry had mostly cleared large areas of rock. However, he'd done it faster than any team of goblins could have dreamed of clearing.

Harry looked around at his own room. The goblins had done most of the work here, expanding his one 7 ft by 5 ft cell and the surrounding cells to 11 ft by 9 ft. Harry was currently in the main room that strongly reminded his of his cupboard, except perhaps a grown up version that housed more than just a bed. Across from him were four bookcases to the right of the entrance where he kept his rare books and collections. In fact, the red gems from the dementors were in a bowl next to his keepsakes from Tracey's killers. It was a little bare now, but that would change with time.

Next to the bookshelves was an open doorway that lead to his bathroom. A whole 11 ft by 9 ft room that he needn't share with anyone. On the other side of the bathroom doorway, was a desk on wheels. Harry would roll it over to his bed to do the necessary paperwork. Currently the journal Theo had kept was on the desk. He'd read it several times by now, and was impressed with the amount of work his three friends had done while he was otherwise occupied.

Harry had finished all the work that was needed so far, but he was sure there would be more after the meeting with his friends...

Harry shook himself up, restless for the meeting to come in the next couple of hours. He'd not seen Blaise or Daphne in years... How much had they changed?

Harry moved over to the doorway next to his bed passing the power stone he'd had installed based off of the knowledge he'd gotten from Voldemort. Inside the room was a small gym. Pull-up bar, free weights, clear space for sword and dueling training, and much more. It was clearly a training room. And Harry was prepared to loss himself in training...

Harry started out small with simple exercises he'd done in the early days of his incarceration, then moved on to more intense workouts. With a half hour before his scheduled meeting his stopped to shower. Harry paused briefly. He would have preferred to run his worries away but he had yet to figure out how to run in such a small space. Shaking his head Harry continued on to his bathroom. He wanted to look his best for this meeting...

Harry would no longer be just their friend, but the Lord they swore to follow. Harry wanted to be a Lord they could be proud of, strong and powerful. Which was one of the real reasons he had not wanted Blaise or Daphne to see him right after his escape. He'd been weak from his imprisonment. There was no way to describe the state he'd been in, malnourished, thin, and lacking the outer strength Harry was accustom to at Hogwarts. But now... Now, he had gain weight, put on a good amount of muscle. Harry looked in the full length mirror as he finished dressing. Now, Harry looked like a Lord.

As Harry exited his bathroom, the thick drapes at his door moved aside.

"Harry." Theo clasped forearms with Harry as he entered followed shortly by Blaise and Daphne.

"Blaise. Daphne." Harry clasped forearms with each of his friends in turn. Blaise was taller, but otherwise just as Harry remembered. On the other hand, Daphne seemed shorter than Harry remembered, but her eyes were just as sharp as ever. "It so good to see you both."

"Really, now. Theo tells us you've been out and about for a couple of months now." Blaise raises his eyebrow at Harry in question, "Didn't want to bother us with the news then, huh?"

Daphne also gave him a look, that said you better have a good answer for this, "Ha. Something like that Blaise. I've been gone for so long, I didn't really see how a couple more days would matter."

"Days. I can understand. Weeks is pushing it, but months." Daphne shook her head in disappointment, "One might get the impression that you didn't want to see us?"

"Never. You are my family. You guys are all I have left." Harry turned away from them in thought as he sat down. No sooner was Harry sitting, then Jim followed in with a couple of his top guards bring with them chairs and a long table to go in front of his bed.

Once Jim and the guards had left and everyone was seated, Blaise spoke up, "Nice service you have here. Do you know if you can trust them?"

"I wouldn't have turned my back on them if I didn't. They've all pledged their loyalty to me on their magic." Harry paused in thought before continuing, "An invisible dark mark you might say..."

"So, you've thought of everything?" Daphne asked. Theodore was oddly silent.

"No, not everything. Just the basics for now, loyalty and this stronghold. The rest is why you're here."

"Ah. So you didn't just want to say hi." Blaise joked.

"Have I every wasted you time Blaise?"

Blaise face was serious as he replied, "In this case, just seeing you again, alive and strong, is more than enough reason to be here today."

Daphne nodded in agreement, "I hope the reaper thing was you?" It was a good attempt to change the topic. "Voldemort was greatly upset that anyone would go against one of his men. And the way it was done... It reminded me of your sadistic side. You were always one to look outside the box for ways to kill someone..."

Harry nodded, "I was glad that Theo left the revenge for me. I also thought it fitting."

Daphne nodded in agreement, but it was Theo who spoke up, "You kingdom is Anaon. You people are the bringer of death, Ankou Company. And your signature is the scythe. The Prisoner of Azkaban will forever change the balance of power within the wizarding world."

Blaise chuckled at Theo's conclusion before taking a sip of the fire whiskey in front of him, "I figured you want me to keep doing what I'm doing?"

"Yes. Tell the werewolves that if I can't make their living conditions better within the wizarding world in the next couple of months, then they can join Voldemort if they want."

"You ready to move up our involvement with the dark creatures? When this pans out, it will make negations with the others creatures easier. I want to start seriously working with the goblins soon. Keep in mind that new ideas that are money makers are the best way to approach them, then just better living conditions." Blaise didn't even question the possibility of improving werewolves lives. If Harry could destroy dementors, then helping the werewolves would be a piece of figgy pudding.

"What about me? Working so close to Voldemort could become even more dangerous when he realizes you're alive and well." Daphne questioned.

Harry didn't even pause in his answer. He'd been thinking about what to do with Daphne. Harry next steps would make waves after all. "Stay where you are. Don't pretend you don't know of my return. If he asks about me let him know of my escape. Moreover, let him know of the dementors. If I can do that, survive Anaon, then he is nothing to me. And with that said, make sure he knows that the wizarding world has done more harm to me, then he has. I can pretend to forget our past, but I will not forgive the future."

"And of me. What is to stop Voldemort from killing the messenger?" Daphne showed no fear in her question. Her eyes told Harry that she would die in his service if she must.

"Harming you in any way would be harming me. Harming Theo would be harming me. Harming Blaise would be harming me. I don't need to kill him for good to destroy him. In my time here, I've learned a million ways to kill a man. I'd like to see how long his immortality last than." Harry spoke with so much conviction everyone in the room was transfixed.

Daphne nodded her understanding, "And of his immortality... What do you plan to do about that? An immortal enemy is not something you want to keep."

"And I don't intend too. There are things we'll have to do to end Voldemort's immortality, but that is for a later time. I don't want him to know about how much I know about his so-called immortal."

"With the knowledge of immortality, do you plan on making yourself immortal too?" Theo question was asked innocently enough, but the way Blaise's head turned let Harry know there was an undertone to it.

"I thought about it, but life has not been kind to me. I do not see how immortality would help me, nor do I wish to live for eternity. Why Theo does the idea of immortality excite you?"

"No. I just wanted to know what type of leader you would become." Theo took a sip of his fire whiskey before continuing, "Anaon has changed you, but not as much as you might think." Theo said with a smile.

It was then that their dinner arrived. The chef serving the food himself.

Blaise chuckled at the spread before them, took one bite before nodding in Harry's direction, "Now, I see why you don't want to leave." Blaise took a long sip of the wine the chef had paired for the dinner his fire whiskey having been long since finished, "They treat you like a king here. I'm sorry Theo, but there's no way Twinky could compete."

Daphne nodded in reply, "The cook is very talented, no house elves?"

"None. Davies says he loves to cook. How could I take that honor away from him?"

"How indeed!" Blaise replied.

Theo was the only one who had yet to touch his food, "Before we get too comfortable, I have one more question."

"What is it Theo?" Harry asked softly.

"Next?" Theo's face asked the question for him, "We know what we will be doing, but for you... What is next, my lord?"

The seriousness of the question surprised Blaise and Daphne, but Harry took it in stride. "The Ministry. Next I take the Ministry." The smile on Harry's face was devious, but it seemed to hearten Theodore.

Raising his glass Theo replied, "A toast. To the takeover of the Ministry and a new Dark Lord."

* * *

The next day found Harry contemplating the wards of Azkaban. Even with the new wards added Harry had been able to apparate outside of Azkaban without disrupting them. The Ministry wards would be strong, but not stronger than the wards of Azkaban.

Harry contemplated the time. It was late enough that the Minister would be in his office, yet early enough that the work of the day should not have reached the Minister. Harry had already decided which runes he would use that would not be noticed by a wizard like Dumbledore. He took a deep breath before turning on the spot.

Crack.

"What the... ?"

Harry quickly put up wards that would disrupt any existing magic in the office. He didn't need Fudge to call for back up.

"Who in the world are you!?" Came Fudge's outraged voice.

"I'm hurt, Minister. Has it really been so long that you don't remember me?" Harry foreigned injury to his chest before continuing. "I suppose me hair is longer, and I've changed from a boy to a man. But still... I'd think you would remember the face of the most vilest prisoner of Azkaban?"

Fudge looked up at Harry in confusion. One of his hands was under his desk, probably trying to call for help.

"They won't come. I've already sealed this room off from the rest of the Ministry." Harry spoke causally.

"Impossible. You haven't even got your wand out." Fudge lifted his own wand shakily.

Harry waved his hand and the wand flew to his hand, "Now, that's not nice. It's like you've never met a person who excels in wandless magic. A young prodigy you sent to Azkaban about, oh... say six years ago?"

The look of confusion, turned to fear at having his wand taken from him, then horror when realization hit him. "No. It's impossible. We sent you to Anaon. No one survives Anaon..." Fudge trailed off at a near whisper.

"And that, Minister, would be wrong." Harry walked over to Fudge sitting himself on the edge of his desk. Harry reached over to the ink well sitting next to the Minister. "I remember you well. It seems life has been treating you well." Harry pause for a second, "Well, maybe not so well. It looks like you're having trouble with your re-election. Bones' faction seems to be gaining more power as the days move on..."

Fudge sputtered his reply, "You should be dead! There was a complete renovation of Azkaban including Anaon! You were never mentioned in any of the reports."

Harry continued as if the Minister had not said a word, "I keep thinking what could be worse for your position within the government, then a scandal. I can see it now. 'The Dreaded Harry Potter escaped from Anaon!'" Harry reached across to Fudge slicing him on the check with the quill that had been left in the ink well. Fudge tried to lean back, but felt his body being held in place as his blood run down into the ink well Harry held under his chin.

Fudge tried to speak and was surprised when he could, "This isn't possible!"

"Really, Cornelius, can I call you that?" Harry didn't wait to see if Fudge thought it was okay to call him by his first name before continuing, "Ankou Company? The being that brings the tortured to Anaon. Did it not ring a bell?"

Harry moved the ink well away from the Minister as he waved his hand to Fudge's face. Fudge touched his face surprised that Potter had healed the cut. While Fudge eyed him, Harry picked up the basket that help a stack of the papers waiting for Fudge's attention and turned it over letting the paperwork fall out on to the desk.

"What do you want from me? Revenge?" came Fudge's high-pitched question, terror laced within his voice.

Harry used the blood-ink to write on the bottom of the basket as he replied, "Revenge? Yes. But I seem to remember you voting against having me sent to Azkaban for life. More importantly, you took care of putting Umbridge in her place. So, instead of replacing you with one of my men, keeping you alive while we use your hair for polyjuice, I've decided to give you a choice." Harry finished the writing. Waved the basket around to dry the ink, before putting it back. Harry walked to one of the corners in the office moving thing around and continued writing with the same blood-ink. Harry then moved on to the other corners of Fudge's office slowly making his way around the room.

Ten minutes of this silence was all Fudge could take before he exploded, "What choice!? You can't just tell me there's a choice between never seeing the light of day and freedom, then walk away!"

Harry turned back to Fudge's desk slamming down on it, "I can do whatever I WANT!" Harry took a deep breath before continuing, he'd not quite gotten his temper back. "You are mine, Cornelius. One way or the other you, you and the wizarding world are mine." Harry looked away lost in thought. Fudge didn't dare interrupt this time. Something in the boys eyes told him not too.

"As I was saying. Your re-election is not likely at the rate you're going. If you make a deal with me Fudge, then I'll make sure that changes. How would you like to be Minister for another ten years?"

Fudge had worked with Lucius for years, for every favor there was an equal or great favor in return, "What do you want?"

"The Ministry. You can be the Minister, but you will be nothing but my puppet. Dancing on my string. You get all the fame and recognition that comes with the office, but never set one more piece of legislation without my say so. And in return, I can promise you will make history."

The look on Fudge's face was that of a trapped man. He clearly knew he had no choice. If he wanted to be a free man, then he had to take it. Fudge nodded his agreement, "I'll do what you ask."

"Good." Harry looked as if to leave before turning back to Fudge, "Just one last thing Cornelius." The questioning look in Fudge's eyes was enough for Harry to continue, "I need you to swear loyalty to me on your magic."

"Now that is asking too much!"

"Oh, is it?" The look in Harry's eyes was enough that Fudge changed his tune within the next breath.

"Well, I'll need my wand." Harry handed Fudge his wand. " I, Cornelius Oswald Fudge, swear on my magic to always be loyal to you, Harry James Potter, within the best of my ability." Harry smiled deviously as his magic excepted the Minister's vow. "What am I to call you? I can't go around saying Harry or Potter without everyone knowing about you still being alive. It would ruin me."

Harry paused tilted his head to the side before answering, "Call me, the Fixer..."

* * *

AN: Sorry this is a week late. Went on vacation and didn't do anything but play video games. The next chapter will also take three weeks to get out, since I'm having trouble with chapter four. I don't want to post chapter three until I have started on chapter five.

Sorry about the American idioms, but I just couldn't figure out how to say what I wanted to say using British idioms.

I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling has the honor. If I did I'd have probably made the War into its own series and have book 7 lead into it...

Now, other notes about this chapter. It may seem a little weird with the flow since it used to be apart of chapter one. I had to split it because I wasn't going to post a 17k chapter (split into 7k and 10k which turned into 9k and 12k after edits). If something seems a little off, please mention it in a review.

KJ


	4. Chapter Three: The Fixer

**Chapter Three: The Fixer**

_...Four year later..._

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Ginny rolled over in bed. Slammed her hand down where her alarm clock was supposed to be. Missed two times before hitting the off button. She barely managed to land on her feet as she reached to pull on the nearby running shorts and shoes. Ginny knew herself well enough to put her running attire for the next day on the chair next to her bed. Ginny fumbled with her hair tie. Managed to tie up her hair on the second try before heading out her flat door, down a flight of stairs and into the streets of London.

It only took her five minutes of running, before her head cleared and she could think of the day ahead. This time alone always gave her time to think, to process. As the youngest Healer at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Ginny was seen as something of a prodigy among the staff. Which put her in an awkward position with her colleagues who were more than eight years her senior. But she'd earned her place there.

Ginny had completed an eight-year apprenticeship in healing in three years, spent a year rotating throughout the departments at St. Mungo's as a Trainee Healer, and the last two years in the Dangerous Dai Llewellyn Ward as a Full Healer. With a record like that, it went without saying that _everyone_ expected a lot from her. Ginny was not ready to disappoint.

It was an hour and a half later that found Ginny fresh from the shower, dressed in her lime green healer robes with the wand and bone emblem embroidered on her chest, and ready to start the day with breakfast. As Ginny passed the kitchen table on her way to the fridge, her hip bumped a stack of old newspapers. Ginny briefly glanced back to make sure the papers had not followed before getting out the bread and eggs for her usual fried egg and toast.

It was an odd sight to see Ginny eating her fried eggs next to a pile of old newspapers that didn't seem to have anything in common. Date, time, headline... To an outside observer, nothing seemed to match. But to Ginny, those newspapers were documentation of the wave of change that had hit the wizarding world. That stack was not alone. Three other stacks mirrored it in odd places around Ginny's flat. Including the table in front of her, other stacks could be found around the flat; a stack on the counter next to the sink pilled with dirty dishes, a stack on the side table next to her couch in front of the fireplace, and one sitting on top of her dresser.

The oldest paper dated back to Ginny's last year of her apprenticeship. Buried at the bottom of the stack in her room, its front-page story was '_Werewolves Refuges'_. Ginny had read it several times by now. It was a story about how Minister Fudge went against his previous position to give more rights to the werewolves of Britain.

That story on its own would have been surprising for Minister Fudge, but not even two weeks later _'Minister Crackdown on Death Eaters'_ was headlining the Daily Prophet. That also happened to be the second appearance of the Reaper, who killed two Death Eaters that turned out to have deep connection within the Ministry. The interesting thing about the Reaper was that this group only seemed to be targeting Death Eaters. Ginny had a few more newspapers about the _Crackdown_ that involved the scythe of the Reaper scattered among the piles.

Unsurprisingly after the _Crackdown_, Minister Fudge was confirmed as Minister of Magic for another term. She had a newspaper for that too sitting in her living room, since it was such a historical event. Cornelius Fudge was now the longest running Minister in the history of the wizarding world. Still, this new change, this new wave of progress, didn't quiet feel like Minister Fudge.

In Ginny's understanding of the Minister, he was an idiot. Pure and simple. He'd take advice from Malfoy, and before that Dumbledore a significantly better choice. Fudge had never been able to get anything done without using someone smarter and stronger to decide things for him. Ginny didn't see why that should change now, especially with such new and controversial actions.

Now, this Reaper... The leader was smart. He was clearly also strong, and only targeted Death Eaters. There was no face to the Reaper. No information, not even rumors. It was also interesting how the Minister capitalized on what the Reaper did by using his own specialized militant. The investigations that followed any death of a Ministry employee were now being conducted with the Ankou Company as lead.

Ankou Company, a sinister name on its own that matched the Reaper in at least name. Despite the name, their investigations were always fruitful. They were the direct force that has led to the decrease, if not non-existent, presences of Riddle within the Ministry. The Minister had somehow managed to get this Ankou Company to investigate in-house problems, while Department of Law Enforcement was responsible for Riddle. It wasn't going very well for the Auror Officers.

Ginny was of a mixed opinion about it. The Reaper seemed to be a good guy who got things done in a very bad guy kind of way. In the end, Ginny liked to think she was optimistic about the Reaper. Dumbledore wasn't of the same ideal. Dumbledore had his eye on the Ankou Company, which wasn't much of an eye since he'd not been able to get any one in it, or from it, on his side. Dumbledore was having as much luck with the Reaper. He'd split the Order's priorities with about three-quarters of the members against Riddle and his followers, and the other quarter looking into the Reaper.

As a result of Ginny being a healer, she didn't have to worry about the search for the Reaper. After all, as a healer she was needed for quick medical response. However, that wasn't all she did, to the vast disappointment of her mother. Ginny was never one to sit back in a fight and wait for people to need her help. No, Ginny preferred when no one needed her attention. As a powerful and resourceful witch, Ginny wasn't one to be taken lightly.

Fighting against Riddle was one of the greatest satisfactions she got by being a part of the Order. Currently, Ginny didn't see her position changing any time soon, since there probably wouldn't be any fighting involved with the Reaper group for another ten years.

As Ginny saw it, the problem with the Reaper group was that no one, including Dumbledore, had made the same connection she had between Fudge, Ankou Company, and the Reaper. It was probably a combination of Dumbledore's arrogance believing Fudge's change had something to do with him, and members looking into the Reaper. All of them new. All of them young. They'd not really known a different Fudge, and were too much like sheep when it came to Dumbledore's orders. If they'd looked outside the box even once, they might have at least gotten a rumor...

With all of that, Ginny still wasn't planning any time soon to tell Dumbledore about her thoughts on the matter. As long as the Reaper targeted only Death Eaters, Ginny was okay with letting him have the run of it.

Ginny was halfway through her fried eggs and toast when the post arrived. Ginny picked up the Daily Prophet first. Would it be a normal news day or would the Reaper or Fudge make an appearance?

GOBLIN TREATY RENEWED! Headlined the front page with an impressive picture of the Goblins and the Minister signing the treaty. So, it would be Fudge today. Reading further it seemed the provisional treaty formed two years ago with the Goblins was being renewed and extended for another fifteen years. Ginny glanced at the stack of newspapers in front of her. That first one should have made it to that pile, but she didn't think it had made headlines. No, that had been one hell of a news day.

With the werewolves, giants, and now goblins, the Minister had really been working on equality within the wizarding world. A position that Dumbledore and her father had supported for quite some time. In fact, this new move would put Dumbledore even more firmly in Minister Fudge's corner. Despite Minister Fudge turning his back on Dumbledore, Dumbledore still held himself responsible for the new Fudge.

In spite of Dumbledore's arrogance, he was no fool. Ginny had overheard a conversation between Dumbledore and her father. It would seem that Dumbledore had her father test the Minister for polyjuice. It turned out Fudge was Fudge, and so this strange behavior had to come from somewhere. Fudge had even distanced himself from Malfoy and didn't appear to be getting influenced by any other Lord or Lady Pureblood. Therefore, Dumbledore's response to Fudge's change had even made a lot of sense. The best way to distance yourself from someone like Malfoy would be to do the opposite of what Malfoy would have wanted him to do. And in that, the Minister had really changed, which was why Ginny was happy with the current state of the Ministry. It hadn't hurt that a couple of years ago Fudge had increased her father's division and added a werewolf component that her father headed.

Along with the Daily Prophet, there were bills, a Witch Weekly that her mother had ordered for her, and a note from her boyfriend, Harvey. Ginny picked that one up first.

Ginny sighed as she put the note back down. Harvey couldn't make it for dinner tonight. His boss was adding another case of files to his workload. He'd be lucky to get done by midnight tonight from the sound of it. The fact that it was coming in the mail, most likely meant he'd slept at work again.

Ginny sipped on her tea as she thought. She'd change her plans; spend more time at the hospital. It was going to be okay, even good news really. Ginny needed to get ahead on some reading she was doing for some of the long-term patients. Besides, she'd eaten dinner at work hundreds of times. She'd even missed a date or two because of it.

Ginny looked over the newspaper one more time, saving the bills and the Witch Weekly for another time. For some reason, she was reminded of a different paper. A paper that had been printed before her fourth year at Hogwarts. From time to time, she would read that paper from cover to cover. It didn't take long being a special edition. It was the only paper she didn't keep in any of the stacks. In fact, a guest would be hard pressed to find it in existence within her flat. No, Ginny kept that newspaper locked tight away next too some of her other precious items.

Ginny wouldn't call it precious per say, but it was important, very important to her. She took it out and read it seldom. Normally, when she was doubting herself, or having a hard time with one thing or another. It was a grounding paper. There was nothing that could be done, or should be done. He was dead. Long dead. Had been since before Ginny had started her fourth year. And some days, she needed that reminder.

Ginny shook her head before finishing off her tea. She'd read it later tonight or tomorrow. But now... Now, she needed to get to work. Ginny had a very busy workday ahead...

* * *

Ginny apparated directly to the ground floor of St. Mungo's Hospital. Four years ago St. Mungo's had gone through renovations so that it could handle the amount of witches and wizards coming in because of Riddle. The addition of an apparition site and new fireplace for a floo connection was thanks to a generous donation from Sirius Black. Ginny reminded her apprentice days well and was glad for the modifications since they made getting to work ten times easier.

"Good morning Healer Weasley. First one for your shift again, I see." The welcome witch behind the desk marked _Inquiries_ spoke pleasantly.

Ginny looked around noting only a few people waiting in the reception area. "Morning Sarah." Ginny spoke to the welcome witch as she walked towards the stairs. "You know I like to get a head start. There are always people to help. Why should I wait?"

Sarah smiled at the young healer, "If only all of the Healers were like you, Healer Weasley." As Ginny headed up the stairs, she heard Sarah add, "Do have a nice day, dear."

Ginny smiled to herself. Sarah was an extremely nice witch, which was probably why she was a welcome witch. Well, that wasn't completely true. Ginny knew a few welcome witches that weren't all that pleasant, or welcoming for that matter. Sarah was just a kind-hearted woman.

As Ginny walked along the first floor to get to her office, she thought how nice it was to be a part of a department on the first floor. It never took her long to get to her office. Ginny said 'hello' to a few of the mediwitches checking on patients as she made her way toward her office area.

"Morning Healer Weasley," a young woman said as another Healer walked by the front desk to Ginny's office.

"Weasley." Came the other Healer.

"Pye." Ginny responded. It looked like Pye had a late shift again. That was never a good sign. Turning around to the young woman seated at the front desk outside of Ginny's office, Ginny responded more happily, "Morning, Grace. What's today look like?"

Grace handed Ginny a few folders before speaking excitedly, "You'll be pleased to know Mr. Toulson is here with his daughter."

"Are they..." Ginny didn't want to get her hopes up. Mr. Toulson was a very poor man, and unfortunately, St. Mungo's didn't work for free.

"Yup! All accounts are settled. I took the liberty to schedule them for an 11 o'clock operation this morning, and a case of potions for little Annie." Grace handed Ginny another sheet of parchment for the potions case approval form.

Ginny signed off on the potions case as she replied, "Good. I'll include them in my rounds."

"You know you don't need to do the prep work, Ginny. That's what a mediwitch is for..." Grace trailed off as she took the sheet of parchment back.

"I know, but I want too." Ginny replied as she looked through her case files.

"That's right Annie's apart of your 'Lost Souls Foundation'." Grace replied with a sly smile.

"Grace... You know I don't like to call it that." Ginny paused as she looked up from the case files before continuing, "How are we on funds, anyway?"

"Well" Grace got out another folder and gave it a brief once over, "The funds are doing really well. Since wolvesbane potion is becoming so cheap with the modifications from the Ministry research, we've been able to give more out and still save money. I've made some purchases of some of the more expensive potions we can never seem to get enough of these days with the extra."

"That's wonderful news, Grace" Ginny had founded what Grace liked to call the Lost Souls Foundation when she'd started as a Trainee Healer. It had started as a supply of wolvesbane potions for those who couldn't afford them, but had since grown to pay for other expensive potions and costly procedures as well.

At first Ginny had used the foundation to get rid of all the money she'd gotten from the Chamber of Secret incident. Ginny shivered at the thought of that money. One day during Ginny's second year, Professor Snape had asked her to stay after class. When they were alone, he'd told her that he'd harvested the basilisk. Ginny remembered being frightened. Why was the Professor being this up now? He must have seen her fear for he had comforted her slightly. Lowering his voice so that is was gentle and his eyes were kind, when he told her that because of her involvement the Professor believed a share of the profits were rightfully hers.

Ginny had fought with him on that one. She remembered yelling at him that those profits should go to anyone, anyone, but her. Ginny had told him to give it to Harry. Give it to the victims. Give it to anyone, but her. For she did not deserve any kind of reward.

Professor Snape had been kind, but firm, when he told her that it was already done. Whether she wanted it or not. Whether she thought she deserved it or not. He'd already created a vault for her with the help of her parents. Ginny still remembered the words he'd said, before Professor Snape had dismissed her from his office.

_"You may not think so now, Miss. Weasley, but some day, you'll realize that out of everyone involved. You are the one that most deserves this money. Use it with care, Miss. Weasley."_

If Ginny would have had access to the account in school, she'd have given it all away. As it stood, Ginny was glad she hadn't. She'd finally found a reason to use it. And a reason to make sure she didn't run out. Which was why, the fund was invested in her brother's shop and the Harpies. There were a few other smart investments that Ginny had Grace managing along with her other secretarial duties. All together her foundation would be around for a long time to come. Ginny like to think she was succeeding at the task Professor Snape had given her. She could think of no better way to use the money with care, then the care of her patients and others.

"Oh. Ginny." Grace interrupted Ginny's thoughts, "Senior Healer Turpin wants you to observe in the Thickey ward this afternoon. Healer Turpin wants to try something new for mind healing. You're also on call for Llewellyn ward and Spell Damage ward all day today."

"Spell Damage? I don't normally do that one." Ginny questioned.

"Senior Healer McFarland asked specifically for you. They had a recent increase in incidents and he wants the **_best_** help."

Ginny chuckled at Grace, "You're enjoying this more than me, Grace."

"Well, why shouldn't I? You're the best. When Senior Healer Smethwyck retires, he'll appoint you to replace him for sure. At which point, I'll be secretary to the department head of Creature-Induced Injuries." Grace paused with a serious look on her face, "Do you know how much my salary will increase then? We're talking thousands of gallons here."

"Thousands, huh?"

"Yes, I'm thinking a ten thousand gallon increase will do me just fine."

"I'm sure it would. Still, I wouldn't count on that increase any time soon."

"Are you telling me you won't increase my salary when your department head? Because, I don't work for free, Ginny." Grace said with humor in her voice.

"Come now, Grace. There are more senior Healers that could replace Hippocrates. Like Pye for one..."

"Pye? Pye's been on the night shift for a month now!" Grace said with clear outrage, that Pye could possible replace Healer Smethwyck. "There's a reason why Senior Healer McFarland wants you. Why Senior Healer Turpin wants you. As Department Heads, they could have another senior healer or a regular healer that's been here longer, but they chose you."

Ginny shook her head in disagreement. There was no way she'd get through Grace's head about this, "Let me go do my rounds." Ginny turned away from Grace to start her rounds, "I don't need you getting a big head for me, now do I. Merlin knows mines big enough for the two of us..." Ginny mumbled the last part to herself. Ginny was good, she knew she was good too. But really, head of a department this early... Ginny shook her head again. Not a chance.

Ginny rounded a corner and entered little Annie Toulson's room. She'd made them her first stop, as she really wanted to know how Mr. Toulson became so fortunate.

"Healer Ginny!" A little girl with dirty blonde hair yelled as she ran over to the Healer. Giving Ginny a big hug, tiny arms hung around Ginny's waist as she continued at an equally loud volume, "Did you hear? Didja? Didja? I'm finally going to get that operation!" At only six, Annie's smile was missing a few teeth, but that didn't stop her from beaming up at her healer.

"So, I've heard." Ginny said as she reached down to pick Annie up, "This is really good news Annie. You'll be playing with the rest of your friends in no time now." Turning to Mr. Toulson Ginny continued, "I've already signed off on the case of potions Annie will need to take for the next two months."

As Ginny carried Annie back to her bed, Mr. Toulson replied, "Hopefully that'll be the last batch of potions she'll have ta take for a long time. It's gettin' harder and harder ta get Annie ta take 'em."

Setting Annie back on her bed, Ginny spoke softly to her, "Is that so?" Annie looked down guiltily, "Well, Annie can you promise me you'll take these potions for the next two months?"

"Do I have too?"

"I'm afraid so, but once the two months are done. You'll come back to me and if everything's okay, then you'll not have to take those potions anymore."

"Do you promise?" Annie stuck out her little finger. A gesture that Ginny had noticed those that lived within the muggle world tended to do.

"Promise." Ginny locked pinkies briefly before giving Annie a once over, "Let's get a good look at you to make sure everything's alright for the procedure." Getting her wand out, Ginny did some basic diagnostic spells as she spoke to Mr. Toulson. "I'm so glad you were able to get the money for this procedure. Annie's going to have a normal childhood in front of her, now."

Beaming up at her, Annie replied in her father's stead, "Daddy sold a really old book in the attic and this nice man gave us some money for it. And now, I'm going to be all better. And not have to take any more nasty potions." Ginny looked down briefly, "But for the next two months." Annie added quickly.

Ginny raised her eyes at Mr. Toulson in question, "That must have been one special book?" The potions alone were extremely expensive.

"Well, on the normal markets not so much, but..." Mr. Toulson trailed off with an uncertain look on his face.

"It's okay, Mr. Toulson. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm just glad that you're here and we can get little Annie nice and healthy."

As Annie beamed at Ginny, Mr. Toulson looked on in thought before nodding to himself.

"I'd been drinkin' in a local pub down on Knockturn Alley. Tom kicked me out of his cause he knew I was tryin' to save up..." Mr. Toulson sheepishly added at Ginny's raised eyebrows. When Ginny didn't comment, Mr. Toulson continued, "I was only on me second drink when this young bloke sat down beside me. Danny, he called himself. Saw I was down and asked about me troubles. Told him about me money problems and lil' Annie. I'd told the story a hundred times before, so I didn't really except anythin' but a free drink or two from the lad. But instead he laughs in me face. Sayin' me problems ain't nothin'! He's heard worse tales than that. Much worse, he tales me. I'd been prepared to deck him one for it, but he explained himself real quick seein' me comin'."

"I can't imagine someone saying that to you and it not ending in a fight..." Ginny interrupted.

"Yeah well, he explained himself. Sayin' I was goin' all in the wrong direction about it. Sayin' I ain't out of the game yet." Mr. Toulson paused to take a deep breathe before continuing, "At first I thought he was goin' to say the same as Tom had thrown me out of his bar for. Gotta save up, gotta keep on keepin'."

"But he didn't?"

"No, not this lad. He asked me about family heirlooms. Ah course I got mad at that one. Did he think I was stupid or somethin'? I'd already tried gettin' that old book sold at Borgin and Burkes."

"Borgin and Burkes?"

"I know what you're thinkin', but it was an old family heirloom. Been in the Toulson family for generations, back when some of that gray magic was still legal. Now-a-days, I want to sell that book, I got to take it to some questionable gentlemen."

Ginny nodded in understanding, there were probably a lot of old families that kept gray books because of the family value whether or not the ministry said it was legal.

"So, that book. Wouldn't go for more'n 50 gallons, and ya know that ain't enough for lil' Annie. That's when Danny tells me I'm lookin' in the wrong place to trade it. I'm thinkin' he's a silver tongue thief at this point and wasn't about to hear another word from him. But I'm glad he stopped me from leavin'."

Mr. Toulson smiled at the healer, "He only said two sentences, simple really. The name of the guy I should look up, the Fixer. Said he can help with lil' Annie. Nothin' up front, nothin' that could go wrong really if I looked him up, so I did."

"Turns out the Fixer works as a trader, more like one of those old barter systems than anythin' we got now. He can do anythin'. The man's got limitless power it seeeds. But he don't trade with just anybody. When you've got nowhere else to turn, no other options left, and a rare artifact of some kind, then he'll do an exchange."

"The book I traded for Annie's treatment was an old heirloom. Catchin' up dust in the attic. Wasn't exactly legal these days, but not rare enough to really sell it for any hard money. Definitely not enough to pay for the potions for Annie's treatment let alone the procedure. It's only thanks to ya we even got this far."

Ginny looked over to Mr. Toulson in confusion, "I just don't get it. If the book wasn't worth all that much, how does this Fixer help? Why would he be any different?"

Mr. Toulson smiled at his daughter as he answered the healer, "The Fixer don't work with sales value, or anythin' like that. He bases his 'favors' on a system of information value and type of information. Told me himself the information in the book was worth more than the operation and the potion's case combined. Gave me a lil' somethin' extra for Annie's schoolin'."

Turning to face Ginny, Mr. Toulson continued, "He's a real book worm, the Fixer is. Artifacts, books, and the likes, not money, are what the Fixer will trade you for. Really anythin' that has history or some type of historic value, even if it ain't a really powerful old spell book, he'll trade ya for it. A favor for a favor, and like that your problems are solved."

Ginny nodded her understanding. She'd been done with Annie a little while ago, but had wanted to hear about this Fixer. It was an interesting story to say the least, comforting to know that out there somewhere was someone who could help the truly desperate. Ginny didn't think she would ever have a reason to go looking for this Fixer. It wasn't like her family had anything the Fixer would want. For even this man had a price. Maybe the family clock, but...

Ginny snapped out of her thoughts, she needed to get back to work. The Fixer could wait for another time. "You guys should get comfortable. It looks like Annie will be well enough for the procedure later today. By tonight Annie will be on her way toward a normal life."

* * *

It was nearly 11 o'clock at night when Ginny apparated back to her flat. The day had been surprisingly good, despite her packed schedule. Stepping out of her robes, Ginny stepped into the shower to relax. It had been a long day.

Ginny had checked on Annie, who was staying overnight for observations, before she'd left. Annie was looking very good after that serious operation. Ginny had also wrapped up two other cases, which had been giving her trouble for the past couple of days. Then there was her observation of Senior Healer Turpin.

Although Healer Turpin had not been successful with his new mind healing technique, it had given Ginny valuable experience and a new idea about treating the long-term spell damage patients. She had even promised to get back to Healer Turpin by the end of next week for a briefing on it.

Hippocrates had made her Healer-in-Charge for three new cases. All of which were progressing smoothly. She didn't expect her patients to stay for more than a few more days, if that long.

Including her Creature-Induced Injury patients was her work in the Spell Damage ward. Her work with Senior Healer McFarland was so much more interesting than when she'd been a Trainee Healer for the department. With the increased action of Riddle and his gang, the Spell Damage ward was jam-packed with patients and low staffed.

McFarland had given her four new cases after she'd helped him with one of his mystery spell damaged patients. Ginny had recognized the symptoms from her research on gray spells from her Hogwarts days. Time and time again it turned out that reversal of purely dark spells were simpler than the reversal of the older gray spells. The only thing Ginny had to complain about was the constant running up and down from the first and fourth floor. She didn't normally mind going to the Thickey ward from time to time, but observing and cases were two different things. Ginny was learning very fast the best way to handle it.

There was an excitement to spell damaged patients. More mystery when the spell they were hit with was unknown compared to simply not being able to identify what creature had injured the patient. Ginny found this new experience with both wards absolutely exhilarating. Senior Healer McFarland had even hinted that if she did well solo, she could expect much more from his department. Ginny was looking forward to the challenge.

Ginny stepped out of the shower and was putting on a robe when her stomach growled. She had completely missed dinner working on one of her spell damage cases. An unknown spell had left a young man bleeding internally. They were able to control the bleeding, but they had not been able to stop it yet.

Ginny shuffled over to her fridge looking for some leftovers, or something equally quick to cook. She found three eggs, half a loaf of bread, some cheese, and a quarter filled milk carton. Ginny had eaten the last of her mother's cooking from Sunday for lunch today. It was only Tuesday. Ginny sighed. Her mother's cooking just never seemed to last long enough. What was she going to do for the rest of the week?

Ginny moved over to the cupboard as she renewed her search. She had really been counting on that dinner with Harvey. Ginny had forgotten how into her work she could get if she stayed at the hospital to long...

Bingo! Thank Merlin, a can of tomato soup. With the cheese and bread from the fridge, Ginny could make a meal for champions, grilled cheese and tomato soup.

As Ginny cooked her dinner, warming up some tea to go with it, her mind was on the dinner that should have been. Harvey was, well, he was okay. But Ginny was used to okay. She'd yet to met a man who was just... Ginny shook her head frustrated with herself as she poured her soup and took the grilled cheese off the stove. There just wasn't a spark, that something that said this was right. This is who I'm supposed to be with for the rest of my life. This is who I _want_ to be with for even just a year... But this wasn't an uncommon occurrence, there never was...

Ginny didn't think her relationship with Harvey was going to last much longer either, maybe another month. Ginny sighed. It wasn't that big of a deal, except that her mother was going to be upset, again. It wasn't even that her mother even liked Harvey all that much. She just didn't like to see Ginny without a boyfriend. She seemed to think that if she was dating, then she was months away from getting married. And Harvey, he wasn't all that bad, but he was starting to not buy or care about the waiting for marriage bit. Ginny had been using that same story with all her boyfriends, which was the mean reason it never worked out. Ginny had barely been able to keep a guy because of it.

She didn't think she was a prude. Ginny just didn't want to sleep with a guy she didn't love. It should just feel right, when you're in that moment and you don't want to stop. She's always wanted to stop with every boyfriend she's had. It was just easier to tell them that she wanted to wait for marriage, then you don't really get me hot and bothered. It didn't help that the only fantasizes that Ginny had were about a dead guy.

Ginny sighed again. She knew she was bad at picking boyfriends, which was probably part of the whole you're not turning me on thing. But really, the first person she'd ever fancied turned out to be an evil murdering want-a-be dark lord. Ginny interrupted her own thoughts. He was dead. She was over him. Had been over him for more than six years now, give or take a couple of months. She'd not even had a fantasy about him for more than four years. And really, she couldn't even call them fantasies about him, as he'd died as a boy. They were just fantasies of a well-defined bloke with beautiful green eyes.

Ginny poured herself another cup of tea before getting ready for bed. She didn't know why her thoughts were on him now. Ginny looked between a stack of books and her bed. She'd read the article tomorrow night. Tonight, she'd spend an hour more looking over some notes about inner bleeding spells.

Ginny had only just gotten into bed with the notes in hand when her Order pendant went off.

"Blast!" Ginny yelled to herself. Now of all nights? Dumbledore normally gave it a couple of days before going after another target. Ginny looked at the face of the pendant to see where she needed to be tonight. That would give her more information on what Dumbledore could possible want this late at night. A bright red image of the Burrow flashed at her, so not an immediate threat. Most likely Dumbledore had a tip and needed to get volunteers to follow it up.

Ginny got back out of bed and started to put on some flexible robes when her healer pendant went off too. "Blast it!" Ginny half expected the Order pendant to switch to the Grimmauld Place image, but saw it still showed the Burrow. Well, whether it was the Burrow or Grimmauld Place, there was bound to be loads of Order members there. She couldn't say the same for St. Mungo's. There was only so many qualified healers, and if they were calling her back only hours after she left, then this was important.

Making up her mind, Ginny put on her lime green robes and apparated away.

* * *

The reception witch stood up when Ginny apparated in, "Healer Weasley they need you in the Spell Damage ward immediately."

"Thanks Sarah." Ginny said as she walked briskly past her, "They called you back too?"

Sarah nodded as she spoke, "Jessica's husbands an Auror. So, she doesn't have anyone to look after the little terrors."

"You truly are a life saver..." Ginny wasn't able to say too much more as she took the stairs two at a time to get to the fourth floor.

Ginny didn't get far on the fourth floor before she spotted Senior Healer McFarland, "Healer Weasley, so glad you could join us."

"Where do you need me?" Ginny asked.

* * *

It was eleven in the morning when Ginny caught a break from healing. Riddle had been very active last night with both the Hospital needing extra staff and the Order business last night. At St. Mungo's alone, there had been numerous injured Aurors and injured muggles going in and out of the spell damage ward. Hippocrates had finally sent Ginny home after he realized she had been at the hospital for more than 36 hours.

Ginny had been planning to spend another four hours finishing up a couple of spell damage patients, when Hippocrates had found her. There had been no arguing with the man after that. He sent her home to rest for the day, but he hadn't said explicitly to not come back until tomorrow. Ginny was going to use his wording to her advantage. She was pretty sure she could get away with two hours of rest before coming back to work. By then Hippocrates should have already made it back home.

As Ginny made her was to the ground floor of St. Mungo's, she wished that she could have just used those few hours on her cot in her office. In fact, Ginny had been about to do just that before reviewing the spell damage patients' files again when Hippocrates had found her. Sighing, Ginny prepared to apparate home before remembering about the Order. If she was already up, then she might as well see what Dumbledore had wanted. It couldn't have been that serious since no one turned up at St. Mungo's. Still, it was best that she check it out now, then later tonight or tomorrow. Who knew when she would have free time again?

"Leaving for the day Healer Weasley?"

Ginny looked up to see Jessica still here. "Yes, but not for too long. Is your husband all right, Jessica? I know he's an Auror."

"He was called in last night, too, but managed to not end up as one of your patients. I've been given leave to go home early all the same."

"Who's going to replace you?"

"Not that it should matter to you, Healer Weasley, as you should be off for a nice warm shower, and a comfortable fluffy bed, but Hanna well be here any minute."

Ginny smiled kindly at Jessica, "I really should be following your example, but I have a hard time sleeping when I know there's work to be done, problems to be solved."

Shaking her head Jessica replied, "You work too hard, Healer Weasley. The body and the mind need rest sometimes too."

"I have to Jessica. My body and mind will get the rest they need some other time." Ginny looked away and walked toward the apparition site. "If I'm lucky, that time will be now." Looking back at Jessica, Ginny gave a last wave goodbye which Jessica returned as she turned on the spot to apparated to the Burrow.

Or she tried to; the familiar squeezing feeling she was accustom to was absent.

"Is everything alright, Healer Weasley?" Jessica looked at an off-center Ginny puzzledly.

"Ah, yes. I just really must be tired if I'm forgetting the three D's." Ginny closed her eyes and turned on the spot again... Nothing. Ginny quickly followed it by spinning again, and was rewarded by nearly tripping over her own two feet.

"Healer Weasley?" Jessica asked with more apprehension.

"Nothing to worry about, Jessica. I'm just clearly not in the right shape to be apparating anywhere. So, I'll just take the floo." Jessica nodded her understanding.

Ginny walked over to the common floo, put a Knut in the jar to get out some floo powder. Just as she was about to throw the floo powder in, Hanna apparated into the lobby. Ginny absentmindedly listened into Jessica and Hanna's conversation, pleasantries mostly, as she throw the powder in the fire and called out "the Burrow". Ginny watched for the red flames to turn green, only to stare at a raging red fire. A deep worry set in Ginny's features. Something was wrong.

"Can I help you with something Healer Weasley? Or have you simply forgotten how to use the floo?" Hanna said with a soft smile on her face. Jessica had already apparated away.

"No, Hanna. Everything's all right. I just decided I didn't want to use the floo." Ginny gave a tight smile before walking briskly back to the apparition spot. Spun on her heels and was gone in a pop.

* * *

Ginny stood on an isolated corner in London off of Grimmauld Place. A frown set on her face. She spun on her heels again, but nothing. She could apparate to Grimmauld Place, but not the Burrow. A sinking feeling crept into her chest. She was probably getting ahead of herself. Dumbledore could have put up new wards at the Burrow. They were due to get an upgrade.

Ginny started to walk down the street to number 12 Grimmauld Place. Ginny would pop in, and ask about the Burrow. Find out that they were doing some type of wards upgrade, which was why they needed her last night. Ginny nodded to herself. Yes, that was exactly what would happen. After that, she would find an empty room at headquarters and sleep for a couple of hours.

As Ginny walked up to number 12 Grimmauld Place, she was suddenly reminded of the first time she had been to Grimmauld Place.

The front door no longer looked battered, but was a solid red with gold etchings. The walls and windows weren't dirty or grimy. Now, the red brick looked renewed and the windows shone brightly. The once worn stone steps had been replaced with marble. Black had really changed everything about the place. Ginny pulled out her wand ignoring the gold knocker with a small lion head as she tapped the door once.

The door silently opened into a brightly light hall. Ginny took a deep breath of the fresh pine smell, Black's favorite air freshener. The wallpaper was pretty similar to the wallpaper found in the Gryffindor common room, as was the thick red carpet. Ginny briefly looked at the scorch marks of where the portrait of the Black matron once hang. All the other portraits had long since been removed with the portrait of Black's mother being the last one to go. She'd not gone without a fight, either.

The serpent chandelier overhead had been replaced to that of a raging phoenix. Black had called it the symbol of the Order. He'd gone so far as to say that no headquarters could live without. Ginny didn't agree with Black on a lot of things; but in this instance, she had to agree with him. Ginny must have seen that piece over a hundred times, but every time it took her breath away.

"Hey there kiddo."

Ginny turned from her appraisal of the hallway to find Sirius Black eating breakfast at the dining room table. "Hey yourself." Ginny replied as she walked into the dining room. "Did you just get up?"

"Yup, got to get my beauty sleep. Can't skip them as much these days. I'm not getting any younger, you know."

Normally Ginny would have played along, but she was here for a reason, "Really? I'd have thought you would still be at the Burrow."

"The Burrow? I love Molly, but your mum can be a little overbearing sometimes. I can't say I'd go there unless I had too, not even for the biscuits."

"So, you're not helping out with the wards today?"

"The wards? What are you going on about Ginny?" Black paused in thought before continuing. "Now, that I think about it, shouldn't you be at St. Mungo's? I can't imagine the hospital running smoothly without their star healer." Being Black he had to add a little humor in their otherwise serious conversation.

"There was a large scale attack by Death Eaters last night. I got called in to help in the Spell Damage Ward."

Sirius took a bite of his pancakes before continuing, "Then shouldn't you be sleeping now?"

Ginny sighed as she leaned on the dining room table before answer him, "Yes, or I would be, if I hadn't also gotten a call from the Order to go to the Burrow last night too. Wasn't there a meeting at the Burrow last night?"

"A meeting? Ginny, I didn't even know there was Death Eater activity. Tonks and Kingsley haven't gotten back to headquarters, yet." Black replied as he set his fork down.

"That can't be right." Ginny replied as she pulled out her pendent, "My pendent went off last night. The image of the Burrow was up." Ginny paused in thought worry clearly evident on her face. "Sirius, I can't apparate or floo to the Burrow."

"So, you thought the scheduled ward upgrade for the Burrow was today?" Black replied as he got up from the table and nearly ran down the stairs to the big fireplace in the kitchen. "The Burrow!"

Nothing happened. "Bloody hell! This is _not_ good. As far as I know, there _was_ no Order meeting at the Burrow last night, and the ward maintenance isn't scheduled for another week!"

"Blast it, Sirius. We have to do something! What if there were more people who were called to the Burrow?" Ginny spoke as she began to pace the kitchen. "Not to mention that if we can't apparate to it, then that means there's anti-apparition wards up."

"And the floo connection to the Burrow is severed. Whoever's in the Burrow would be trapped magically." Black paused in thought before shaking his head, "We need Dumbledore." At that statement Black got out his wand and summoned his patronus, "Albus, we have an urgent problem with the Burrow! We need you five minutes ago!"

Ginny watch as Black's patronus disappeared to go find the headmaster. It could not get there fast enough, and the wait was too much to bare in silence.

"We have to do something! Mum and dad are at the Burrow for sure." Ginny twisted the Order pendent in her hand as she spoke. Ginny looked over at Black before continuing, "It was late, past midnight, when my pendent went off." Ginny paused as she resumed her pacing, "How could something like this happen? Why would something like this happen?"

"Wait, calm down Ginny." Black said as he grabbed her shoulders to stop her worried pacing. Ginny shrugged him off, but Black was undeterred. "Everything we've said so far is pure speculation, that doesn't mean anything horrid has happened, Ginny." Ginny looked over at Black as he continued, "For all we know, everything could be perfectly fine."

Ginny stared in Black's eyes. He truly believed this could be a possibility. Ginny wanted to believe that, Merlin knew she wanted to pretend last night had never happened. But... but something inside of her was saying something different…

Ginny closed her eyes in thought. She wanted to believe, but she'd not been that naive since her first year at Hogwarts. She'd learned then, and over again since then, to always prepare for the worst. And this situation could only get worse. Ginny had a strong feeling that what she imagined right now was as good as it was going to get. There was just no way that she was the only one called to the Burrow last night...

At those thoughts, the fireplace turned green and Dumbledore waltzed right out of the flames. "Sirius, I got your patronus. What has happen to the Burrow?"

Black looked over at Ginny, before answering Dumbledore. Ginny was grateful since she and Dumbledore didn't get along all that well. If the news came from someone other than herself, then Dumbledore was more likely to take it seriously.

"The news isn't good, Albus. I was eating a late breakfast, when Ginny came asking about ward upgrades. I was surprised to see her this early in the day, since she's almost always at the Hospital. So, when she asked me about why I wasn't helping with the wards upgrade for the Burrow. I was completely confused." Black looked between Ginny and Dumbledore as he continued, "I mean the scheduled upgrade isn't until next week. So, I asked Ginny what was going on. Albus, Ginny said she was summoned to the Burrow last night." Ginny nodded her head in agreement with the last statement when Dumbledore looked over to her.

"There was no summons last night." Dumbledore shook his head deep in thought, "What time did this happen?"

"After midnight, it had to be nearly one in the morning, when I got the summons." Ginny answered.

"And did you go?"

Ginny hesitated before answering, "Well, no… I also got called in to St. Mungo's. I had to choose..."

Black jumped in here, "In her defense, we wouldn't have needed her help as much as St. Mungo's needed her. We've been working under that assumption for a couple of years now, Albus."

Dumbledore nodded his head in agreement, "Alright, then. Besides the Order pendent going off, what else is the problem? I don't see why Ginny would ask about the Burrow wards upgrade. What's happened that was so urgent?"

Black took over from Ginny again, "The thing is... the reason why Ginny asked about the wards..." He shook his head and took a deep breath, "Albus, Ginny tried to apparate to the Burrow and couldn't. Moreover, she _and_ I both tried to floo to the Burrow with the same results." Black paused, "Albus, the Burrow is on lock down. No one can get in, and no one is likely to be able to get out. At least not by magical means. At the very least, that means that Molly and Arthur are trapped at the Burrow."

Dumbledore first response was not to Black, but to Ginny, "It seems very convenient that you were called to St. Mungo's instead of you also being trapped at the Burrow..."

"Do you honestly think I want to be here, knowing that my mother and father could be dead!" Ginny replied with rage tinting her voice, "Not like this... Never like this."

Dumbledore looked Ginny in the eyes for several heart beats before he nodded his head in agreement. "Let's not assume anyone dead just yet. The best way to check who is trapped at the Burrow is an emergency meeting." Black sighed in relief as Dumbledore continued to speak, "I'll take your word for it that we cannot apparate to the Burrow. In the mean time, we must move quickly to assess the situation. It's close enough to All Hallows' Eve that I wouldn't put it past Voldemort to do something this drastic to the Order."

Dumbledore moved into action as he grabbed his master pendent from his flowing robes. Ginny immediately felt her pendent respond. She looked down at it, an image of Grimmauld Place glowing bright red stared back at her. The wait had begun.

"In the mean time, tell me again, Ginny, and leave nothing out. What happened?"

* * *

Order members trickled in groups of ones and twos for the next hour and a half. Never staying longer than a couple of minutes to check in with Dumbledore. All of them curious about the unusual summons in the middle of the day.

"Wotcha Ginny!"

"Wotcha Tonks." Ginny had not been as surprised as her mother when Tonks decided to still be called by her maiden name despite being married to Lupin. It suited her better than any other name they could have called her. "How's Teddy?"

"Doing well, which you would know if you spent more time with him and not always hiding in that Hospital." Tonks replied with a smile on her lips. Tonks had been there when she'd needed it most. They had formed a bond. So much so, that when Tonks had Teddy, she'd name Ginny godmother. Ginny was about to reply in defense, when Tonks shook her head before continuing, "But that's neither here nor there." Tonks took a deep breath before asking the pressing question, "Ginny, what's going on? It's not like Dumbledore to call us in the middle of the day."

"Did you have trouble getting here?" Ginny asked. An obvious attempt to stall, but Tonks went with it.

"Lucky for me I ducked out using my lunch break. I think Kingsley was a little behind me, too." Tonks looked around before continuing, "For Dumbledore to summon us in the middle of the day, I excepted more activity. Something more exciting with Molly running around shouting at everyone."

Ginny wrenched at her mother's name, she could no longer avoid the question. So far Ginny had let Sirius answer anyone wanting to know what was going on, but this was Tonks... Ginny sighed before answering, "It's the Burrow… The Burrow…" Ginny stumbled over her words. Even with Tonks, she was not going to be able to answer her fully. "Dumbledore may go into more detail, but right now… It doesn't look good… No one can apparate or floo to the Burrow, Tonks."

Tonks put a supporting hand on Ginny's shoulder, "I'm so sorry Ginny, I'm sure Molly and Arthur are going to be alright..." Tonks managed to get Ginny to look at her before she continued, "What can I do, Ginny?"

Ginny turned away from Tonks' searching eyes, "You only need to check-in, Tonks."

"Ginny..." Tonks might have said more, but Kingsley entered the room. He nodded at the two of them before making his way over to Dumbledore.

Ginny shrugged off Tonks' hand, "No. Go check-in with Dumbledore, Tonks. You have to get back to the Ministry after last night's activity." Tonks didn't immediately move away from Ginny. Her eyes never leaving Ginny's. Tonks body language was as it was so long ago. Telling Ginny that she was here for her. Ginny sighed. Tonks only wanted to help. "I'll be fine, Dora..."

Tonks pulled back with a small smile on her lips, "Yeah, you'll be fine alright until I get my hands on you. How many times have I told you not to call me that, _Ginevra_?"

"Ha, ha, ha!" Ginny laughed for the first time since the Burrow problem began. Tonks knew just what to say to make everything look a little more bearable. "I get it. I get it." Ginny smiled at Tonks, "Go check-in, _Tonks_." Tonks gave Ginny one last pat on the shoulder before going over to join Kingsley.

Ginny watched as Tonks and Kingsley talked with Dumbledore. Her smile faded. With Kingsley's arrival, that left the rest of the Weasleys and Hermione who had not yet checked-in.

It didn't take long for Tonks and Kingsley to finish speaking with Dumbledore. The three of them made their way past Ginny to leave.

"If you need us, Albus. Don't hesitate. You're right. This whole situation is very concerning." Kingsley replied to whatever Dumbledore had said previously. "Let's go Tonks. We have to get back to the Ministry. We've problems of our own."

"Alright. I'll be right behind you." Tonks replied before turning to speak to Ginny.

"I'll be alright." Ginny spoke first.

"You're not alone, Ginny." Tonks replied kindly.

"I know." Ginny replied to Tonks' retreating form.

"Ginny, I think it's time…" Dumbledore spoke to the mildly distracted witch.

"No, just a little longer. The twins are probably caught up in business, and Ron has a hard time getting anywhere on time…" Ginny knew her response was weak, but it was all she had.

"Ginny we've been waiting for an hour and a half." Lupin spoke. He and Black had walked into the room as Tonks and Kingsley left. "They're not coming."

"It's time we went and checked out what has happened." Dumbledore added. He then turned to Black. "But first, Sirius, why don't you floo the other Weasley households?"

"Roger." Sirius replied as he made his way downstairs to the fireplace.

Dumbledore turned to Lupin, "Remus, are you sure the Ministry can spare you today?"

"Arthur didn't come in today." Lupin looked guiltily over at Ginny. "Besides, the more wands the better."

There was an awkward silence as they waited for Black to finish the floo calls to Bill and Percy's homes.

"Well, Sirius?" Dumbledore prompted at Black's return.

"The wives are home. They each asked about Bill and Percy."

"Really?"

"They said that Bill and Percy were summoned last night to the Burrow by the Order." Black paused with guilt on his face, "I didn't know what to tell them..."

"That's fine, Sirius. I'll tell them myself if it comes to that." Dumbledore led the way to the front door. "Shall we?"

* * *

They made their way outside to apparate to just outside of the Burrow in Ottery St. Catchpole.

The walk from small town to the Burrow was unbearable. The atmosphere was gloomy. The clouds were unusually thick, and the air cold. It took Ginny several minutes before she realized why the surrounding forest felt wrong. It was quiet, too quiet. The trees were still, and there were no signs of animal life.

All together everything truly hit home. Her brothers were all missing along with her parents and Hermione. Despite the fact that Bill and Percy's families were alright, this was a targeted attack on the Weasleys. One she should have been a part of.

As they got closer to the Burrow wards, the fog became heavier. It was clearly magically induced. They were just on the outside of the wards when Dumbledore stopped and got out his wand to examine the wards.

"I'll go scout the area. Moony, you coming?" Black spoke as he led Lupin out into the surrounding forest.

Ginny looked at the wards carefully. Something felt off here. Ginny paced the boundary, paused and shook her head, "This isn't right" Ginny observed the surrounding markers before continuing, "The wards should be another twenty-five feet further in."

Dumbledore paused from his work to look around, "Yes, I agree. It should be further in than this." Dumbledore turned to Ginny before continuing, "It will take some time, Ginny. Why don't you mark the new boundaries?"

Ginny nodded her head in reply before making her way around the Burrow to mark the location of the new wards.

She had a map done within half an hour. In that time, Dumbledore had made it a quarter around the boundary. Ginny had two options; hang around Dumbledore, or anything else. Ginny needed something to do, but it wasn't going to involve staying next to Dumbledore for an extended time period. So she went to find Black and Lupin to help scout the surrounding area.

It took the three of them another hour and a half before they were satisfied and returned to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore was staying loosely facing the direction the Burrow should have been in deep thought. "Ginny, what did you find out about the new boundaries?" Dumbledore turned to face the group as he spoke.

"New boundary?" Lupin interrupted. Ginny had not told them what she'd been doing before she'd showed up to help, and they had not asked.

"Yes, new boundary around the Burrow." Ginny replied to Lupin before continuing to the group at large, "It exactly twenty-five feet out from the original wards. I can't see more than five feet through this fog to get a better idea of what's going on inside the wards. So I can't tell you much else about the new boundary. After that, I went to help Sirius and Remus with the surrounding area. We've been able to search the surrounding forest, nothing. There doesn't seem to be any activity outside of the wards."

"As I thought..." Dumbledore trailed off in thought before continuing. "I've looked throughout the wards, but I simply can find no weaknesses." Dumbledore looked over to Ginny, "You're also correct about not being able to tell about the inhabitants. The fog is tied to these new wards so as to obscure the outside view."

"Are you sure you can't tell anything?" Lupin spoke, "If they're dead, I don't see why the wards would still be up?"

"Ah, yes indeed. That would be the good news. The Burrow wards are still active. They're on the second line of defense, but still protecting the inhabitants. Thus, explaining why these secondary wards are still functioning. To put it simply, whoever activated these wards has not managed to get through the Burrow's wards."

"Then we still have time!" Ginny jumped on Dumbledore's analysis.

"Well, theoretically, yes. At the rate they are going it will take them at least another 12 hours to break through to the Burrow." Dumbledore paused. "The bad news, however, is that we cannot get through these wards…"

"What do you mean we can't get through the wards? If they're having this much trouble with the Burrow wards, it should be easy to break their wards within the next 12 hours!" Ginny replied.

"It would be if the same people who constructed these wards were the same who were breaking into the Burrow."

There was a small silence at the news before Lupin interrupted, "But they have to be the same. No one can get in or out of these wards."

"There is no mistake, Remus. I don't know who constructed these wards, but they are clearly on another level then the ward breakers currently attacking the Burrow. In fact I would have to guess that these wards would have taken several days to construct."

"Impossible, we would have noticed that kind of activity!" Black replied in outrage.

"Yes, if they were normal wards, but these are most likely linked to ritual stones. Seven stones placed strategically around the Burrow… Excellent spell work." Dumbledore pause. "It would take a week for someone of Bill's caliber to get through something like this..." Dumbledore shook his head as he continued, "but without Bill..." Dumbledore turned to Ginny, "I can do nothing, Ginny."

"No! You're supposed to be the strongest wizard of the century! You're supposed to be able to do these things, impossible thing, miracles! You have to be able to save them. That's my family in there! You just _have_ to be able to save them! Because if you can't... no one can."

"I'm sorry Ginny." Dumbledore tired eyes look back at Ginny with pity. "This is truly a blow to the Order like no other. The Weasleys will be missed."

Ginny looked wildly around, clearly searching for something, some idea, "What about the Goblins? Bill trained with them, so they must be able to breakdown something like this."

"Yes, they might be able to break through these wards." Dumbledore replied. "However, we cannot trust the Goblins. Despite this new treaty, this is too sensitivity a topic to depend upon the Goblin nation, not to mention we would not be able to afford the cost the Goblins will surely ask for."

Dumbledore shook his head, "No, what I'm more concerned about is how Voldemort managed to use the Order Pendants against us? It should be impossible... well, not impossible, but the amount of spell work and magic... the technique... Voldemort himself might be able to do it, but he's never tried anything like it before... What has changed?" Dumbledore paused in thought before he continued, "I'm sorry Ginny, but there is nothing we can do, but to plan for when the wards fall. Go home, get some sleep. We have much to do in the morning."

Black put a hand on Ginny's shoulder, "I'm so sorry Ginny."

Ginny didn't reply. Instead she looked out at where the Burrow should be, unmoved.

Lupin shook his head as he looked sadly at Ginny, "Let's go Sirius."

Black nodded as he followed Lupin to a place they could apparate back to Grimmauld Place safely.

"Go home Ginny." Dumbledore spoke once more before following the remaining Marauders to Headquarters.

Ginny stared in the direction of the Burrow for several more minutes before she too turned away. She'd take Dumbledore advice, at least partially.

Ginny apparated to her flat, and moved purposefully to her bedroom to change out of her healer robes. The lime green robes of a healer were very distinct. Too distinct, and too easily recognizable for whatever her next plans were going to be. And there would be a next step. There was no time for sleep now. Her family was in danger and she had to do something... Ginny would not rest until she fixed this...

If only she knew what her next step should be... Ginny could always go behind Dumbledore's back and get the Goblins involved. But without Black's money and the Order's funds she would have no way of paying the Goblins for the job. Ginny couldn't even use the Lost Souls funds, not even for her family. She just couldn't take out that kind of Galleons. The fund just didn't have that much hard coin on hand.

Ginny couldn't promise the Goblins the sum of all the Wealsey's fortunes, since even combined they wouldn't have enough coin for what she excepted the cost would be for an advanced ward like this in the desired time frame. There was no one else she knew who was as good as her brother at ward breaking. Not to mention her brother's skill level wouldn't have been enough for this either...

Ginny Weasley had no options, left... and no clear way to save her family...

Ginny hit her hand hard on her dresser in frustration. What was she going to do?

As angry as she was, Ginny knew she wouldn't be able to come up with a good idea. She needed to calm down. Breath.

As Ginny closed her eyes in concentration, a thought kept plaguing her mind. The Lost Souls Fund... She couldn't take money out of it. But there was something there... "Little Annie and Mr. Toulson!"

_"The Fixer works as a trader, more like one of those old barter style systems... He can do anything... When you've got nowhere to turn and a rare artifact, then he'll do an exchange..."_

Nowhere to turn, check... rare artifact... As Ginny had concluded before, the Weasleys didn't have anything that could be classified as a rare artifact. Maybe the family clock, but would the Fixer really take that? Not likely, but she couldn't let that stop her. Ginny wouldn't let that stop her. She was a clever witch. She'd think of some other way to pay.

Right now, she needed to figure out how to find him, this Fixer...

* * *

AN: So it took me three week like I excepted and it looks like it's going to take another three week to get the next chapter out as well. Good news is once I get past these next two or three chapters, it should be smooth sailing. Bad news, I have to get through those chapters first.

Disclaimer first, a small portion of this chapter used information from Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix. And some how I still don't own Harry Potter. There's this woman, I don't know if you know her, but her name is JK Rowling and it appears _she_ still owns Harry Potter.

I know a lot of people were waiting for Ginny to make an appearance. Now that the story is in the main plot (not the set up), she and Harry will take center stage. It's harder for me to write in Ginny's view-point, which is probably why it's taken so long to write this next chapter. It's going to be her perspective for at least 90% of the next chapter (she's got to find the Fixer after all). So I hope people can get their Ginny fix from that too.

Ginny is one of my favorite characters. I think she's a strong, resourceful witch who probably would have made a very good Slytherin [which is a compliment, I swear]. To be honest, I think Ginny would have been the Auror and Harry a Healer in JK Rowling's versions of them. But my Ginny's a Healer, and she's a Healer for a reason other than my personal belief that a Healer is a harder profession then an Auror...

So, this chaptered started out with another time skip. To put it simply, the main story starts ten years after the Sentencing. I'd tell you it's the last one, but this isn't going to be a 20 chapter story. I hope by the end of it, you'll understand what the story is about and why the title is appropriate. With that said, I have thought about companion pieces that will fill in the time skips. The rise of the Fixer being one of them. Next time, however, I'll probably write six chapters before I start to publish it. Writing three chapters didn't seem to be enough, so that I didn't have to change my update timeline.

Since I edit it myself, I'm sure there are a lot of small (I hope only small) errors. If you catch them, please don't be afraid to tell me about them.

Until next time,

KJ

PS Sorry this is a day late. I managed to forget to update last night. Real life some times happens, I guess...

PPS I've changed Ginny's boyfriend's name from Charlie to Harvey. My twin didn't like it since it was the same as one of Ginny's brother's.


	5. Chapter Four: The Bargain

**_Chapter Four: The Bargain_**

**_14:30 - 11 hours, 50 minutes_**

Ginny reviewed her conversation with Mr. Toulson from yesterday once more.

_"...I'd been drinkin' in a local pub down on Knockturn Alley... I was only on me second drink when this young bloke sat down beside me. Danny, he called himself..."_

Mr. Toulson had been in a pub in Knockturn Alley, and he'd been talking with a young man named Danny. It wasn't a lot to go on, but it was a start. How hard would it be to find one pub where this bloke called Danny frequented?

Ginny looked down at her plain grey robes. She'd picked these robes because of the attached hood that would help her blend into Knockturn Alley, hopefully. Ginny moved to her potions cabinet to take out some of the more useful potions. She'd pulled out an emergency kit which had some pepper up and some detox potion for sobering up and hangovers along with a few basic first aid potions. Ginny didn't expect to need the more major potions that she would normally take with her on Order business.

With her wand and her potion's kit secure within her robes, Ginny wasted no more time and apparated away. Her first stop, Diagon Alley.

* * *

**_14:35 - 11 hours, 45 minutes_**

As Ginny stepped into the shadows at the apparition site outside of the Leaky Cauldron, she wished she'd known of an apparition site within Knockturn Alley. Ginny was lucky that the apparition site was otherwise unoccupied. She pulled up her hood, opened the passageway into Diagon Alley proper, and stepped out into the afternoon streets of the magical shopping center.

Her plan was simple enough. Step one, go to all the bars in Knockturn Alley and ask after Danny. Step two, get Danny to tell her how to find the Fixer. Step three, bargain with the Fixer to save her family. With her plan in mind, Ginny walked confidently toward the entrance to Knockturn Alley.

It was a strange feeling for her to walk in the opposite direction of the brilliant white marble of Gringotts Bank, but she did it with her head held high. If she'd been walking with her head down, she'd probably have missed the poorly disguised Auror Officers peppered throughout the alley.

Ginny passed one such Auror sitting at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour with a newspaper in front of him, and wished she'd had time to change the color of her hair. The hood she had up would only stand out here on Diagon Alley, but if she took it off, then her red hair would give her away as a Weasley. Ginny had never before wished her brothers had not been as successful as they were, but she was wishing it now. Because of her on interest within Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, she'd been by numerous times to talk with the twins. Any of the shop keepers around here would know her on sight.

She quickened her pace slightly, but it didn't seem like any of the Auror Officers within the alley were paying any attention to her or their immediate surroundings. They could have been off duty, but that was unlikely with Riddle's recent activity... Then again, Riddle hadn't attacked Diagon Alley directly in years. So, it shouldn't really have surprised Ginny that the Auror Officers were clueless to the coming and going of wizards and witches near the entrance to Knockturn Alley.

Whatever the reason, Ginny saw no reason to look a gift horse in the mouth. No, there would be plenty of Auror Officers in disguise within Knockturn Alley itself. She needed to be aware of herself and them more than ever. If Dumbledore caught any word that she was here... She needed to save her family, but she didn't need Dumbledore breathing down her neck after the fact, or because of it.

It didn't take long before Ginny found herself in front of the shady entrance to Knockturn Alley. Ginny felt an old fear race through her. Her father was not a strict man, but when he was, no one disobeyed him. The Weasley patron had been strict about his children never entering Knockturn Alley. Probably for good reason.

Ginny took a deep breath to steel herself. She was a Gryffindor, and her family needed her. The Weasleys would not be destroyed by her own cowardice today.

The instant that Ginny walked through the alley, the light seemed to be sucked from the very air. Ginny turned back to make sure that the sun was still shining and saw in the distance sunlight upon the streets of Diagon Alley. The hustle and bustle of the afternoon foot traffic still ran along the streets of Diagon Alley.

Ginny turned around and fully took in the dingy alleyway in front of her. There were plenty of shady characters with their hoods covering their face here, so her own would not look out of place. Ginny's thoughts went to Dumbledore briefly. Yes, it was best if she blended in well.

Ginny walked purposefully down the narrow twisting alleyway. It was hard for her to not notice the similarities between the people of Knockturn Alley and the alley itself. Both were equally shabby, dark, and grimy. But Ginny was not here to sightsee.

As Ginny walked down the alley, she looked past the shadowy doorway of the shops on either side of her and completely ignored the creepy stands with the wrinkly witches with warts on their warts to read the signs. It didn't take long for Ginny to find that some of the 'signs' were so worn that only three or four of the letters could be made out. She had to look at the signs within the window, or in some cases the items on display to determine what the given shop was selling.

This strategy worked for some of the shops at the beginning of Ginny's search, but there were several shops where the windows were blacked out and the sign was completely missing or simply unreadable. One such blacked out missing sign building had the look of an inn, it was two stories and had a chimney with smoke that smelled vaguely of roasted pork.

Ginny made her way to the building and opened the door forcefully while she took several step into the establishment. The stink hit her like an anvil, a mixture of sweat and perfume. Ginny instantly knew that this was not a pub. She was about to turn back around to get the hell out of there when a witch Ginny had not seen before appeared in front of her, blocking her exit.

"Hullo, there stranger." The woman spoke in a sultry voice emphasized the last part of the word stranger. The witch had black hair and striking blue eyes. If she'd not been wearing too much make-up with that extremely tight black leather corset, she could have almost been called beautiful.

"Looking for a good time?" Ginny snapped her attention to another witch who had come up from behind her. The only noticeable difference between the new witch and the witch blocking her exit was her auburn hair, hazelnut eyes, and brown leather corset.

Ginny looked between the two whores before replying, "Ah, excuse me... I just... took a wrong turn... was looking for a pub..."

"Oh now, a pub were you. We've got lots of things to drink here... " The black haired witch replied.

"And if you get tired of that you can always drink me..." The auburn witch to the left of Ginny smiled coyly at her.

Ginny was glad her hood was up, because her face was burning red, "I'm a witch!"

"Oh we get plenty of those..." Spoke the auburn haired whore to her left.

"But if it's a wizard you want, we can make that happen too... " The dark haired whore continued.

"Or maybe you want both?" The auburn haired witch moved closer to Ginny at that. A predatory look was in her eyes as she looked Ginny over.

Ginny wasn't even going to reply to that... both? "I'll just be on my way..." Ginny turned so that her back was not completely facing either one of the whores, but she was clearly pointing toward the exit.

"Really, now... You've come this far stranger, you wouldn't want to disappoint Abigail," The black haired witch tilted her head toward the auburn haired witch to Ginny's left. "Now would you..."

The whore identified as Abigail, nodded her head in agreement. "We don't get pretty ones like you that often, luv..."

Ginny wasn't going to have any emotional trouble disappointing Abigail, but that wasn't going to get her out of here. These women were not likely to response to a polite, I'm not interested, or an I haven't the foggiest where you've been...

No, these were business women, who would either steal from her as she tried to squeeze past them, or make her pay for some sort of entertainment before she could leave. Neither of those options were a solution Ginny was willing to accept. No, Ginny had a better idea that wasn't likely to end with the whore house profiting from her misfortune...

In the blink of an eye, Ginny had silently cast two petrification spells. The witches had clearly never had that happen before, or at least not before one of their sessions, and were caught off guard. They fell to the ground, unmoving and frozen in place.

"Sorry, but I'm going to have to disappoint you Abigail." Ginny replied as she made her way to the door. Ginny paused at the door briefly not being able to help herself from adding, "Thanks for the good time, anyway." Ginny could hear other occupants of the whore house moving around, and left quickly. She didn't plan on finding out what happened when you petrified a whore any time soon.

Ginny was going to have to be more cautious about how far she came into an unmarked building in the future. She wasn't always going to be able to catch her opponent off guard, which wouldn't matter if there were too many of them.

Ginny looked back at the unmarked building. That was an interesting first experience in a brothel house. Ginny laughed softly to herself. The twins would be envious... Her expression quickly turned sour at the thought. They'd be envious, if she could save them. Otherwise, they wouldn't be much of anything.

Ginny started down the alleyway again. She needed to find this pub, and find it fast. There was no telling how long it would take to get to the Fixer after that. There were going to be more of these unmarked buildings. As she got further from the entrance, the less respectable the shops became.

Mr. Toulson couldn't have gone that far to get a drink, could he?

* * *

**_15:47 - 10 hours, 33 minutes_**

The search was slow going since she had to go through each unmarked building or building that had its windows blacked out. One such blacked out building had a picture with a large black scythe hanging above the entrance. There weren't too many things that a picture like that could mean, so Ginny walked through the door optimistic that this was a pub.

She was not disappointed.

The pub was dimly lit, and the floor was dirty, but Ginny had seen worse for other shops within Knockturn Alley, much worse. As Ginny walked to the bar, she observed her surroundings. There was a staircase at the back, probably leading to private rooms. Only two of the five round tables were occupied. The one closest to the bar where she chose to sit had three men at it. The table to the far right held two men quietly talking. At the other end of the bar was the only other woman sitting next to a surprisingly well shaved older man. The bartender was standing in front of them.

Ginny moved her hands to take off her hood, before stopping herself half way, changing the movement into something resembling a wave to flag down the bartender. The bartender gave her a nod in response as he continued to finish up with the customers in front of him. Ginny was just glad she'd managed to catch herself before taking off her hood.

As Ginny settled in to wait for the bartender, the group next to her broke out in a roaring laughter.

"That's right lad. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." The voice was rough and deep, and if Ginny had to guess probably came from the older gent at the table. Now, that Ginny was looking. That table seemed weird. What was a man in his late forties, early fifties doing sitting with a couple of blokes who couldn't have been older than she was? There was just something about him that was throwing her off. Ginny kept her hood high in their direction, and her ears open to their conversation. Mr. Toulson had thought Danny could have been a thief. The younger two blokes had the look of a thief as well. They could know something about the Fixer.

"What will it be lass?"

The bartender had managed to come up right in front of her without her noticing. But Ginny wasn't going to let her surprise be noticed, "Cheapest fire whiskey you got."

"Humph." The bartender reached under the bar and poured her the drink in a somewhat clean glass. The bartender set the drink in front of her, but didn't let go of it. Ginny looked up at him with a questioning eye. "That'll be four sickles."

Ginny reached into the small money pouch she had in her robes. She didn't want to be too cheap with the tip, yet she also didn't want to give too much. So, Ginny lay five sickles down in front of the bartender, took the glass of fire whiskey out of the bartender's hand, and took a nice size swig.

It tasted like horse piss, but it burned like any other fire whiskey, so she took another swig. The twins had gotten worse stuff for Gryffindor parties, anyway.

"Wyatt, you need another drink, just wave." Wyatt spoke to Ginny as he collected his money before making his way back to the other side of the counter.

Wyatt was a big guy, who seemed to fit what Ginny thought a Knockturn Alley barkeep would look like. Ginny slowed with her drink as she listened into the surrounding conversations. It could be a while before she heard the words she was listening for, Danny, or the Fixer.

* * *

**_16:28 - 9 hours, 52 minutes_**

Ginny was on her third drink when the table next to her said something of worth. So far, it seemed the two younger ones were talking with the older gent about a possible business deal, smuggling from the sound of it.

"So, whatcha think?"

"It seems reasonable, but..." The gent paused briefly, "Why not work with that Reaper guy instead?" The older gent looked around as he continued, "Seems like this would be his type of joint, cause of the name and all. The Black Scythe seems like it was made for him..."

The younger blokes stopped talking and looked at the older gent sternly. They looked at each other before standing together. "Sorry gent, never heard of the guy."

"See ya Wyatt." The second bloke replied as the two men left together.

It was weird that a thief would be asking about the Reaper. Ginny looked at the older gent closer. His pepper gray hair was short cropped, and his posture was straight. In fact, the gent on the other side of the bar also had the same posture and hair cut... If they weren't Aurors, then the twins were saints.

As Ginny finished up her third drink, the bartender came over to fill it back up. However, Ginny stopped him by putting her hand over the glass.

"You know you have Aurors in you establishment, Wyatt?" Ginny spoke low so that only Wyatt could hear her.

"Yeah, been in and out for a couple of weeks now. Bad for business as you can see." Wyatt replied in the same tone.

"Then you won't be surprised to hear that this will be all for me. Thanks for the drinks."

"Alright." As Ginny turned to get up off the bar stool, Wyatt stopped her. "And lass. If you don't mind me sayin', I don't think someone like you ought to be in this kind of joint... Go home... Get out of this alley..."

Ginny turned away from Wyatt, adjusted her hood firmly on her head. "Goodbye Wyatt, and thanks for the drinks..."

* * *

**_17:18 - 9 hours, 2 minutes_**

Ginny stood in front of a building that just had to be a pub. This building in particular was one of the few this far in the alley that had a legible sign, Black Venom. Of course, it was possible that the building in front of her could be a poison shop, but a two-story potion shop? Not likely.

Even with that knowledge, Ginny hesitated. She wasn't sure that Mr. Toulson would have gone into a pub with a name quiet like this, but... How many more of these buildings would have legible signs _and _turn out to be pubs? Besides, it didn't even look that bad from the outside. The walls weren't as grimy, and the windows were tinted and not completely blacked out. Whoever owned this pub was doing good business.

With that pep talk, Ginny walked to the door and stepped inside. She promptly regretted it, and not in the way she'd regretted walking into that whore house... To Ginny's right, was a group of six men with very nice robes. Robes that didn't belong anywhere near Knockturn Alley. But that wasn't why Ginny regretted entering the Black Venom. Unfortunately, Ginny recognized the owners of two of those robes, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. The rest were probably also Death Eaters. At least Ginny knew why the Black Venom was doing so well in Knockturn Alley. It was a Death Eater hangout.

All of Ginny's realizations took only a couple of seconds. She continued into the bar hoping that her initial hesitation at the door had gone unnoticed. Ginny wished she could have just turned around, but if she did, it would have looked odd. Any local of Knockturn Alley would have known this to be a Death Eater pub. No local would have entered this pub, if they didn't have some business to do with Riddle's crew. Ginny was going to have to get at least one drink, so as not to draw too much attention. The last thing she wanted to do was get into a fight with ten to one odds.

As Ginny sat down at the bar, the Bartender came over and raised his eyebrow in question. "You here for a drink?"

"I don't know. Do you have anything good to celebrate the Dark Lord's latest successes?"

The Bartender smiled in her direction. "As it happens, I've a new batch of Dragon Barrel Brandy for the occasion."

"Then I'll take two."

The barkeep placed two drink in front of her, "That'll be fifteen sickle."

Ginny placed a galleon in front of the Bartender, and pushed the second drink back to the Barkeeper. "A toast on me." The Bartender gave a toothy smile, which Ginny immediately wished he hadn't as he was missing some important teeth, "To the Dark Lord!"

"The Dark Lord!" The Bartender down the drink at a pace Ginny didn't even try to emulate. "You a new recruit?"

"I'm looking to be..."

The bartender nodded in understanding, "You'll have to come back then. We won't get a recruiter in until later this week, maybe next week."

Ginny took a quick look back at the group behind her, "You mean they can't help me join up?"

"Humph. Crabbe and Goyle? Not a chance. We were suppose to have someone real for Wednesday, but we got what we got, you know?" Ginny nodded as she took another sip of her brandy. It was some strong stuff. "You come back Friday. Fridays are normally good day for joining."

Ginny knocked back the rest of her Dragon Barrel Brandy and set the glass back down, "Thanks, for the info." Ginny replied as she got up to leave.

Ginny only just managed to walk straight as she made her way out of the pub. Once outside, she leaned heavily on a nearby building. Ginny had downed that brandy _way_ too fast. She pulled out one of the detox potion and downed it like the brandy in the Black Venom. It didn't take long for the potion to start doing its magic.

Ginny stood up straight, and looked down the road ahead of her. Well, there had to be at least one pub in Knockturn Alley that wasn't either full of Aurors or Death Eaters...

* * *

**_18:56 - 7 hours, 24 minutes_**

A combination of mistakes along with the fact that Ginny didn't want to ask one of the shoddy wizards or witches on the streets made Ginny's continued search a slow one. The continuous darkness within Knockturn Alley made it impossible to tell the time of day. Still, Ginny knew her time was fleeting.

She was currently standing outside of an unmarked building with a well worn sign. The image looked like a wand surrounded by some type of lake. It looked promising, and Ginny had walked into worse.

Luck seemed to be with her, as the building was definitely a pub. With any luck, the third time would be the charm. As Ginny made her way further into the pub, she saw a sign with the words 'Merlin's Wand' hung up above the bar area. Ginny looked closely at the men in the pub already. None seemed to look like Aurors. But more importantly, no one was giving off the "I'm with Riddle" vibe, so Ginny settled onto a bar stool. It was time to get comfortable.

Merlin's Wand was a pub that was in better condition than the Head's Hog, but not nearly as nice as the Black Venom. For which Ginny thought gave it more points in its favor... It landed somewhere near the Black Scythe. A little worse for wear, but all together it gave out an inviting air, or as inviting as any building in Knockturn Alley could get.

As Ginny looked around at the nearby customers, she was pleased to find several that also had their hood up covering their face. Ginny located the Bartender next. He was on the other side of the bar talking to a couple of customers, who, from the sounds of it, were regulars. He made no move or sign that he saw her, and took his time with his conversation. Even when he made his way over to her, he did not immediately greet her.

A couple of minutes past as the barkeeper cleaned one glass, rather poorly, while he just looked at her before he chose to speak, "What for ya?" He ended his question be spitting on the floor by his feet.

"Quintin Black."

The choice caused the Bartender to raise one of his eyebrows. Even with the hood up, Ginny still probably didn't look like she belonged here.

"Sure, they could getcha that down at the Cauldron."

"Quintin Black."

The Bartender didn't reply again, just filled up a glass with the desired beverage, with a glass he wasn't cleaning not that it was any better, and walked back over to the other side of bar.

Ginny sipped on her drink as she listened in to the conversations around her. They were all about Voldemort's latest activities, but in a completely different light than at the Black Venom. She had only been listening for a couple of minutes when her stomach growled loudly. The last time she'd eaten a real meal had been nearly eighteen hours ago. Ginny saw one of her fellow customer eating a very greasy thing of fish and chips. The moment she saw it the smell seemed to hit her like a bag of bricks.

Ginny flagged the Bartender down, "Fish and chips."

The barkeep grunted in reply, and it wasn't much longer before a pile of greasy fish and chips along with another Quintin Black, despite the fact that Ginny was still nursing the one in front of her, landed in front of her. At that point, a pile of dung probably would have tasted like her mother's cooking. She downed it so fast.

* * *

**_19:45 - 6 hours, 35 minutes_**

Ginny had been finished with her fish and chips a while ago. She was on her third drink, this time a simple fire whiskey, contemplating if she should try another bar when the door opened up and a group of five men came into Merlin's Wand.

"A round of your best for the new recruits, Skym!" called out the dirty blonde that seemed to be leading the group.

"Danny boy, ya know we ain't got nothin' fancy here," replied the barkeep now identified as Skym.

"Yeah, well give us yer strongest then old man! We be payin' customers!" Danny replied.

The Bartender along with the rest of the bar broke out in laughter at some inside joke that Ginny didn't find funny. She supposed a bar like this didn't always get people to pay up their tabs, but... Since the bartender hadn't even asked for her money yet, she couldn't say that was all the customers fault...

"Thanks boss!" came one of the new recruits as the four recruits sat down at an empty table.

"Na, na, naa. Don't thank me. It's the big boss who's payin'. I'm just the lucky bastard who gets to drink up." Danny replied.

"Yeah, do you think we could ever meet him?"

"I've heard he's stronger than You-Know-Who!" another recruit replied without waiting to hear Danny's answer to the first recruit's question.

"Yeah, way stronger!" another recruit countered.

"He's so strong, he could fight Dumbledore and Voldemort at the same time and not break a sweat!"

"Yeah, well I heard he's so powerful, he has to stay locked away so he doesn't destroy the Earth when he walks!"

The bragging only got worse as the four new recruits tried to out 'hear' each other. Ginny had never heard of anyone that could be stronger than Riddle before, and she couldn't decide if anything they said was even realistic. But that was all a side note, and not the important part of that exchange. No, Ginny's attention was firmly on the leader of that group.

Could he possibly be the same Danny that Mr. Toulson had encountered?

In Ginny's heart, she had not really thought this would work. It had been just another way to pass the time until no other action could be taken to save her family. After the debacle with the Aurors and Death Eater bars, she had lost hope. Even if Danny was out there, Ginny could only hide in this alley for so long without being noticed.

But here he was... hopefully. What were the chances that this man was the Danny she was looking for? Pretty low; but she wouldn't know until she asked... and if it was Mr. Toulson's Danny, then she'd finally caught a break. Either way, Ginny just didn't have the luxury to overanalyze the situation.

Danny had moved away from the new recruits' table to the bar. Ginny turned her eyes forward not wanting to be caught looking. Instead she took a sip of her whiskey. There wasn't much left of it as Ginny had been planning to make an exit just a couple of moments ago. She'd just have to go slower drinking it.

"Hey, there little miss. I don't think I've ever had da pleasure."

Ginny nearly jumped out of her seat. She had not heard him coming, and was more than surprised to see him sitting down at the stool next to her.

"Oh, sorry there. Didn't mean to scare ya." Danny said as he turned to speak with her. "Name's Danny, but ya probably knew that."

Ginny turned to face him, "I don't normally come to this neck of the woods, but when hard times come a callin' the drink needs to be just as hard."

"That so? Whatcha story then? Down on money? Get bit by a werewolf? Got hospital bills up to yer ears? I've heard 'em all. Not one story worth its salt." Danny looked over at Ginny before continuing, "But ya don't look quite right for a witch down on her luck. Ya got this look in yer eye, see. Ya lookin' to have someone killed, then yer in da wrong pub." Danny turned away from Ginny as he downed his glass. "Get outta here. This is a fine establishment."

Ginny was shocked. That wasn't exactly how she imagined this conversation, or one-sided monologue, would go. The shock must have shown on her face too, for Danny spoke again, "Don't worry about yer tab. I'll tally it up."

Danny was getting up to leave when Ginny found her voice again completely forgetting to fake an accent, "No!" All conversation stopped so Ginny lowered her voice, "No. That's not why I'm here." Ginny swallowed briefly her throat suddenly dry. She was really going to do this. "I've heard about you, Danny."

"I know. I can spot a looker in seconds, and yer clearly lookin' for somethin' here." Danny didn't sit back down. Clearly he didn't think she could change his mind.

"Then you know that I'm really looking for the Fixer." Danny was about to interrupt, but Ginny continued over him, "No, hear me out. The Fixer helps those who have nowhere else to turn, no other options left! If my problem was as simple as killing someone, then I'd do it myself! I'm telling you that what I need, can be done by no one else. I'm asking for a man with limitless, or near limitless, power," Ginny paused briefly to look Danny in the eyes, "...because what I need is a miracle."

Danny looked at Ginny, really looked. From the look in his eyes, Ginny saw the struggle going on within Danny's mind. He was clearly trying to convince himself not to help her. But his eyes had shined at the word miracle. This man clearly had an arrogance similar to her own Grace's. Grace would have jumped at a challenge to prove that her boss was the best. If you needed a miracle, then Healer Weasley was your best shot. It was a calculated move that Ginny had thought up in seconds. It was also why Ginny was the youngest Healer at St. Mungo's. When working with patients you rarely ever had time to plan ahead. It was a lot of thinking on your feet, and Ginny was good at it.

"If ya know about him, then ya also know he don't work for free." Danny caved just as Grace would have. He'd clearly put up a good fight with himself, but in the end his pride for his boss won out.

"I know, and I'm prepared to trade." Ginny's eyes were determined. Without him, without the Fixer, her family would be lost. She could not let that happen, no matter the cost.

* * *

**_20:15 - 6 hours, 5 minutes_**

Danny didn't immediately tell her how to find the Fixer. Instead he ordered a second drink, downed it, and then turned to the four new recruits. Ginny could only just make out their conversation.

"Oi, Callum. As ya had da best showin', I'll give ya yer first official job." Grumbling could be heard from the other three recruits as Callum nodded his head up and down vigorously, "I need ya ta escort that lil' miss at da bar ta da apparition site for da Fixer." Danny paused to let the information sink in before continuing, "Do ya remember which one that is?"

"Yes, sir. You can count on me boss." Callum replied as he got up from his chair to follow Danny's orders only to be stopped and pushed back down into his chair by the very same boss.

"Hey, now. Ya don't have ta go right on the nine. Ya drink up with yer new mates. When yer done, that one'll still be here." Danny waited for Callum to pick his drink back up, before he returned to the bar, this time sitting on the other side, far from Ginny.

As Ginny waited for Callum to finish up, she took the time to setting her account with Skym. It took Skym a couple of minutes before he responded to her wave. When he did, he spoke only the cost, took her money, and walked back to the other end of the bar. He was a very welcoming guy, Skym. Ginny was just glad it didn't take Callum much longer to finish up. They were on their way out the door of Merlin's Wand by eight-fifteen.

"You're real lucky, you know." Once they were out of the pub, Callum immediately started a conversation breaking the awkward silence.

"How so?" Ginny replied.

"I don't know no one but Danny who's ever met the big boss man..." Callum sighed with a wishful look on his face before continuing softly, "Man, I wish I could meet him..."

Ginny let the silence return for several seconds before deciding to get some information out of the new recruit. "You're new to your organization, right?"

"Yeah, just finished the last tests an hour or so ago." Callum walked with his hands behind his head as he led Ginny down a side alleyway.

"May I ask what you're new organization is called?"

Callum stopped short at the question, and looked back at Ginny as if she just said the world was flat. "You don't know!?"

Ginny shook her head in the negative, "If I knew, then I wouldn't have to ask. Sorry... Callum, right?" Callum nodded his head, "I hope I haven't offended you."

Callum shook his head in disbelievement before he puffed his chest out and spoke, "I'm a proud member of the Ankou Company as of seven this evening."

Ginny smiled in amusement, "The Ankou Company? I didn't know it took a lot to become a part of a militant group." Ginny was playing on his pride as she knew from Dumbledore's struggles in trying to get someone into the Company that it was extremely difficult to become a member. If Callum was anything like Danny, then he'd be telling her about every test he had to take in a matter of moments. She'd never before guessed that the Ankou Company and the Fixer were connected...

Ginny was not disappointed, "Oh, they don't let just anyone become a member." Callum replied seriously. "First, you have to at least have three NEWTS, to even be considered for one of the lowest jobs, then you've got to go through a whole lot of character tests and stuff. I think we went through about seven different character tests and aptia... apta..."

"Aptitude?"

"Yeah, aptitude tests." Callum started walking again, almost with a little skip in his step. "And if you want to advance in the ranks, you got to take all kinds of certifications..."

"It sounds like a very serious organization... Is it very large, the Ankou Company?" Ginny asked. "The Daily Prophet doesn't talk about it much you see..."

Callum smiled proudly, "One of the largest." He paused at a fork and muttered something under his breath before taking the left. "I don't even know how many wizards and witches there are, cause I'm new and all, but they got lots of branches and stuff all over the world." Ginny's eyebrows lifted at that statement. Since when was the Ankou Company international? "When I get better and more recognized and the like, I'm going to try to get transferred to out of the country. Maybe Germany..."

"I didn't know that the Ankou Company worked outside of Great Britain..."

"It sure does. The big boss man is something else, you know..." Callum looked over at the surrounding building clearly calculating something in his head. "Yeah, this is it, apparition site 'F'. It should get you were you need to go." Callum turned to go. Probably back to the pub.

"Thank you, Callum." Ginny smiled kindly at the young recruit before preparing herself to apparate, but instead she turned back around to ask Callum one more question. "Callum?"

The new recruit turned back around in question, "Yeah?"

"Have you ever used this apparition site?"

"Well, no." Callum answered as he scratched his head in confusion, "I've never needed to find the Fixer now have I? But this is the apparition site Boss man said to take you too, so... I'm guess everything you need is going to be from here." Callum paused in thought before continuing, "But if it's the site your worried about then don't worry. All of the Ankou Company apparition sites are direct lines. This should take you to where you need to go."

Ginny nodded in understanding before apparating away. She'd just have to trust that she'd make it without splinching...

When Ginny opened her eyes, she was safely in an equally dark alley that was slightly cleaner than Knockturn Alley. Wherever she was, she wasn't in Knockturn anymore.

As Ginny gathered her bearings, she could hear two people talking. A man and a woman from the sound of it. Ginny looked in the direction of the sound to see the two people standing not too far from her. They looked to be wearing similar clothing, but other than that Ginny was uncertain.

After Ginny and the man make eye contact, he started to walk over toward her. "You must be here to see the Fixer." Ginny relaxed a little at that and nodded in agreement. "This way, then." He motioned down the alley. "Kate, I'll take care of this one."

"Alright, see you in a bit."

Ginny walked in silence with what she assumed must have been another member of Ankou Company. But why should she guess? Callum was pretty friendly so, "Are you also a part of Ankou Company?"

"Something like that." the guard replied.

Okay, so not as forth coming as Callum, "You get a lot of people through here?"

"Depends on the day."

Ginny waited to see if he'd add anything else, when a minute went by she decided this one just wasn't very talkative.

"Here you go." The guard replied as they stood in a corner between two buildings. A corner, which was definitely not a door...

Ginny stopped the guard as he turned to leave, "I thought I was going to see the Fixer?"

"And you are." The guard paused before he turned back and continued to speak, "You take this apparition site just like you did with the last one. Someone should be waiting on the other side that will be able to tell you more."

"What?" Ginny questioned with confusion. She thought she have a straight shot to get to the Fixer. Not a bunch of apparitions.

"Look, that's all I know. I'm not high enough on the food chain to see or know anything more than this." The guard paused and patted Ginny on the shoulder at the look on her face. "Don't worry, the Fixer will be able to help. You'll get there in time..."

* * *

**_21:48 - 4 hours, 32 minutes_**

The trip had been long and emotionally taxing. There had been four more escorts to apparition sites that had finally led her to this point. Ginny found herself in what she hoped to be her last stop in front of a large two-story house out in the middle of nowhere.

Ginny was met at the door by another Ankou guard. The on duty guard uniform was beginning to become familiar to her.

She had never really seen an Ankou Company member before she began this search. Sure there were pictures in the Prophet, but those were in black and white. Ginny had always just assumed they wore black robes like the Death Eaters. However, this guard, like all the other on duty Ankou Company members, wore robes in several shades of grey. The robes helped him blend into his surroundings much better than any black robes could have ever hoped to do.

Ginny had plenty of time throughout the trip to notice the little things about the uniform. At first glance, the uniform appeared to be robes, but on a closer inspection, they strongly reminded Ginny of the muggle army uniform that she'd read about in her Muggle Studies class. The uniform included durable grayish brown boots. The only thing of color that Ginny had been able to see on her escorts was a red strip on the shoulders. On the strip was some kind of symbol, but Ginny had not yet been able to get a good look at it.

During Ginny's reflection, the guard led her past several more guards on their way through the manor. He asked no questions and gave no room for questions to be asked. They made their way to the back of the house on the second floor. Here the guard stopped in front of a door where two more guards waited. He nodded his head to the two guards, then turned and walked away back the way they had come.

The guard on the right opened the double doors for Ginny to enter. They followed her inside, closing the door behind them.

Ginny's eyes immediately found the man in the middle of the room sitting behind the desk, the Fixer. He had short dark brown hair with light brown eyes, and a thin brown beard speckled with red and blonde hair surrounded his face. And he was big... Thick in the shoulders and wide in the chest, the Fixer was just as muscular as the guards who surrounded him.

And there where books, shelves and shelves of books surrounding him, but something was not right with this scene...

"How can I help you?" The man across from Ginny question in a light tenor voice.

Ginny hesitated before speaking, "I'm looking for the Fixer..."

"I am the Fixer." The man across from Ginny replied without pause.

Ginny did not immediately reply to his statement. Instead she looked around the room more closely.

_"...book worm the fixer is..."_

Ginny's eyes ran along the titles of the books closest to her. _An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms, Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms, Numerology and Grammatica, Spellman's Syllabary..._

These books could have been found in any bookstore; in fact Ginny had read those four books in Hogwarts. Ginny looked at the next bookshelf. None of those books were rare either. They could not be the traded books that the Fixer was known to acquire. Ginny turned her attention back to the 'Fixer'.

The man, himself, didn't give off an aura of power. The same aura that followed Dumbledore or Riddle was absent here. This was not a man of great power and ability... This could not be the Fixer. For if it was, then her family was doomed...

"Speak now, my child. I've been told that this is your last resort. What can I help you with?" The fake Fixer questioned Ginny once more.

Nineteen. Ginny had pasted nineteen guards on her way here. There were four of them in this room with her; two behind the 'Fixer' and the two that had come in with her. There was no way she could take on them all without alerting nearby guards. What could she do now?

Ginny snapped her attention back to the fake 'Fixer', "You could tell me how to find the Fixer?"

"I _am_ the Fixer. What more proof do you need?" The 'Fixer' replied as he spread his hands out in question.

"The Fixer is a powerful man with limitless power." Ginny nodded her head in the direction of the guards behind the fake. "He doesn't need guards..."

The 'Fixer' smiled in amusement at Ginny, "I find that assassins are everywhere." He pointed to himself as he continued, "Even powerful men have to sleep." The 'Fixer' laughed at Ginny as if she were a small child, "Now, tell me, what it is that you need? Or are you simply wasting my time?"

Ginny walked over to a bookshelf centered in the middle of the room. Within the blink of an eye, she had her wand out and had casted a misdirection spell, silencing ward, and transformed the water in the air into a thick mist.

The spells the guards sent her way redirected to land harmlessly on the bookshelves around her. The mist alone would have been enough to throw off regular wizard guards, but these Ankou Company guards were big... So, instead of trying to get rid of the mist, or firing off spells that were just going to miss, the four of them charged quickly into the mist in Ginny's general direction.

As they did, the mist started to funnel and dissipate in the fake Fixer's general direction.

Ginny smiled as she charmed the ground around her. The ground sprung up and entrapped the four guards to their chest in wood and cement. The area attack had only worked because of the close proximity of the guards. Ginny's plan had worked perfectly... well, she did expect the 'Fixer' to put up more of a fight.

Ginny stunned the guards for good measure as she passed them. The 'Fixer' sat at his desk with a magical sphere within his hands. The sphere had white swirling in it, clearly the mist had been absorbed in that magical sphere...

"You're no better than me..." Ginny spoke as she stood in front of the fake. The 'Fixer' did not blink or take out his wand. Ginny was starting to believe he could do no magic. The man was likely a squib...

"What do you want?" The fake put the orb into his desk and leaned back untroubled. "If you're an assassin then you know I'm not the man you want..."

Ginny pointed her wand at the squib. "I need the Fixer. I need someone who can work miracles. I need a man with unlimited power. But that is clearly not you." Ginny looked around with a disappointed expression on her face. "Now, how can I find him?"

"He doesn't work with just anyone..." The fake began, but Ginny cut him off.

"How can I _find_ him?"

The fake Fixer looked her in the eyes, but Ginny was hardly worried. It was unlikely he could do occlumency, not that it would have mattered if he could...

After several seconds, the fake replied, "What are your intentions?"

"I need the help of the Fixer." Ginny took a deep breath as she continued, lowering her wand in the process, "Not Dumbledore. Not Voldemort. Not anyone that can't perform miracles." Ginny looked the fake in the eyes, "Tell me the Fixer, your boss, can't do the impossible. Tell me that, and I'll want nothing to do with him..."

The fake Fixer was silent for several minutes. Ginny let her eyes wonder to the door. How much longer before the guards noticed...

"If you're that desperate, then go back out there to the guard at the front door. The one who led you to this room, and tell him... tell him to take you to the Prisoner of Azkaban." Ginny looked confusingly over at the fake Fixer. "If you want to see the boss..." The fake laughed softly at this before continuing, "Then you'll have to use that password." He smiled at Ginny's confusion, "It will get you where you want to go..."

"...Thanks..." Ginny turned to go, but the fake called out to stop her.

"Wait." Ginny paused to look back at him, "I can see you've come here with nothing." 'Fixer' took a breath before he continued, "The Fixer doesn't work for free. If you have nothing to offer, then you should go home." Ginny turned back around to leave. She had a Fixer to find.

"Pray. Do whatever you want, but don't waste the Fixer's time. People don't live to tell the tale..." The fake said to Ginny's retreating form. As she exited the room, a high pitched, maniacal laughter followed her.

Ginny took what she said back, that guy, whoever he was, may not have been powerful, but he had a sadistic streak...

* * *

**_23:52 - 2 hours, 28 minutes_**

The following journey had taken several more apparition sites and several additional security screenings before she'd made it to this point. It was nearing midnight, but Ginny was pretty sure this was the last leg of the journey. Normally, with the amount of different apparition sites it should have been impossible to tell where she was. But this gloom, rough wind, and the salt of the sea...

Ginny knew where this was. Being a Ministry employee's daughter, she knew very well where she was heading. Ginny was currently on the last leg of a trip to Azkaban...

The small boat she was in seemed to threaten to capsize every other wave. But the Ankou member who shared the space with her didn't seem to mind. He steered the boat with an ease that should have been illegal.

The night was cold, and the dark was deep. The tiny lamp barely lit up the members of the boat. Outside of the boat was complete darkness. Ginny wasn't sure how the silent man was steering them. She couldn't see more than the waves rushing at them. The stars were hidden overhead, so he couldn't be using them either.

"Do this often?" Ginny spoke nervously to the guard.

He gave her a quick look before going back to his steering. Ginny wasn't sure why she thought he'd be talkative. He'd not said a single word since she got to the boat. At least the others gave a few one word sentences from time to time. But the closer she got to her destination, the fewer words each new guard spoke. Whoever, this Fixer was must have been extremely paranoid. He'd get along well with Moody.

The absentminded thought, actually seemed to relax Ginny. Just a little bit. She knew how to deal with a Moody. She'd been doing that for years now. Now, that Ginny really thought about it, the destination even made sense. She'd not been expecting it, even with the code words. But now that she was rowing toward Azkaban. She couldn't be all that surprised. Still Azkaban was an unusual place to have a hideout. What type of man lived within a prison? Why would anyone choose to be that close to dementors? Of course it was always possible that they were heading for some other island off the coast of Northern Britain...

When the boat slid on to wet sand, Ginny jolted upward. Another guard from Ankou Company came to receive them. Ginny made to get out of the boat, but the new guard stopped her.

"Got to know why you're here miss? This is a restricted area, only authorized personnel are allowed beyond this point."

Ginny was a little confused before she remembered she needed to say the code words, "I'm, uh, here to see the, uh, Prisoner of Azkaban?"

The guard looked her up and down before he spoke, "Like I said, only authorized personnel." He was stepping back to let the guard turn the boat around, when Ginny jumped out of the boat to stand next to him.

"Wait! I'm here to see the Prisoner of Azkaban! I've come this far and I'm not leaving until I see him!"

The guard in the boat had his wand out and trained on Ginny. Ginny didn't move. She did not just waste more than two hours getting here to be turned away or stopped again. If they wanted her to leave, then they would have to do it by force. The guard standing outside of the boat must have seen it in her eyes for he turned to the boat guard, "Go ahead Georgie." The boat guard put his wand up without hesitation, turned the boat around, and was paddling back in a matter of seconds. He'd clearly been doing that job for years now.

Ginny straightened her robes as she walked further up the island not caring if the guard followed. The guard looked over to her, shrugged, and walked forward to catch her. "It's this way." He pointed to the left in the opposite direction Ginny had been walking. She'd have eventually found it she was sure, after bumping into the coast a couple of times.

There were no lights to guide the path. The guard must have memorized it for the ease he showed, as Ginny could not tell one direction from the next. It was this inability to distinguish direction that finally led Ginny to believe there were heavy wards on the place meant to misdirect. Ginny had never read about any such wards being placed on Azkaban before, whoever this Fixer was had most likely added it… among other things. With that new knowledge, Ginny paid more attention to the guard than to her surroundings.

The guard was in the same gray uniform as the rest. The only major difference was the symbol on his shoulder. It was too dark to make out details, but the general shape was different from the symbols the guards had worn at the fake Fixer's manor.

Ginny didn't have time to contemplate the symbols for much longer as they arrived at the massive doors of Azkaban in no time. Flanking the double doors where another two guards.

"What have we got here?" The guard on the right asked.

"A new inmate I hope!" Laughed the guard on the left.

"Open the doors." Ginny's guard replied ignoring their comments.

"Think you can get in from the cold do ya? Why don't you put in a good word with General McCaffer for us?" replied the right guard.

"Yeah, get us out of this cold every once in a while." The left guard parroted.

"Your problem with the General isn't my problem with the General," Ginny's escort replied with a rough voice.

"Unless we make it," the right guard whispered under his breath loud enough that they all could hear.

"Open the doors, now!"

"Yeah, yeah. Alright." They turned around together and heaved on a chain on each side of the door that Ginny hadn't realized was there.

There was a loud 'clank' in the background. Then the two guards turned around wiping sweat off of their brows and smiled at Ginny. "You come back now." The left guard winked at Ginny.

The guard in front of her huffed to himself as the two guards grabbed the door handles and swung them open.

The light was intense with compared to complete darkness of the outside. It took Ginny several seconds to adjust.

Once adjusted, she took in the large chamber before her. There had to be enough cells for about forty inmates on the outside and another twenty in the center...

A loud whistle let loose as they passed. "Hey there luv, I hope you're in for life."

Laughter rang out among the inmates. "I hope you're here to stay 'cause I got someone who wants to say hullo... cute lass like you." Another inmate called out.

"You got something? I got something bigger! And it'll keep you warm at night!" More laughter rang out among the inmates as several more told Ginny how her time could be spent here in Azkaban.

"Ignore them." The guard replied roughly. Ginny intended too.

As they made it to the guard station, Ginny compared the shine of the metal to the dull look of the cells around it. This guard station was clearly new, and the cells looked bigger then her research said they should be. But there was something else, missing... Where were the dementors? Was it possible that they had moved them because she was coming?

Two Ankou guards looked up from where they were sitting, "Well there goes our evening." One of the guards muttered under his breath. The guards were clearly relaxing, leaned back in their chairs with some type of game in between them. Ginny looked over to the right to a spiral staircase. How many floors were there? If the dementors were on any of those floors Ginny would have been able to feel them...

"Oi, Miss..." Ginny turned attention back to the guards behind the station. "We're going to have to search you before you go any further. Your wand."

"While you're at it, I'll go find General McCaffer." The guard that had led her, left through the black door directly behind the guard station. Ginny handed her wand to the guard that had spoken previously as the other did several identification spells on her. The guard with her wand weighed and measured it, before giving it back.

"Everything seems to be in order, here."

"She's clean."

"That's good to hear." A male voice spoke from behind her. Ginny hadn't heard him coming.

"Sir!" The guards spoke together.

"Settle down boys." The older gentleman wasn't wearing a uniform like the guards. Instead, he was dressed in what seemed to be every day robes. The man certainly didn't look like a general from her Muggle Studies class. No, if anything, he looked more like a Lord as he turned to Ginny, "Miss Weasley, correct?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "My name's Jim McCaffer. How can we help you today?"

"I need to see the Prisoner of Azkaban."

"Yes, I'm aware of that. Danny told me you were coming." Ginny had a feeling she'd had to go the long way.

"Then you know, I need to speak to the Fixer."

The guards shuffled at that name and McCaffer smiled at it too, as if to a child, "Fixer, huh? Yes, the boss goes by many names. But, I'd like to not disturb him if I can, so why don't you tell me what you need, and I'll get it for you."

Ginny was upset by the lengths they were willing to go to keep her from seeing the Fixer, or whatever his name really was.

This was_ not_ some simple I need money problem, "Can you do the impossible? Do you have limitless power!? Are you the unstoppable force for which even dark lords scurry in fear?" Ginny wasn't sure if the last one was even true, but if the Ankou Company was involved in this then, the Reaper could very well be the Fixer. After all, he went by many names now didn't he?

"If you are none of these, then I don't need your help! I need the Prisoner of Azkaban. Not just any prisoner either" Ginny turned to point at the number of prisoners within the cells around her. "I need the most powerful one."

The kind look that McCaffer had been expressing turned to a very serious one as he studied Ginny closely. He could look all he wanted. Ginny was going nowhere, saying nothing more about her problem, until she was facing the Fixer.

McCaffer nodded to himself before giving a quick signal to the guards. All three of them dispensed and went back to what they were doing before she showed up. "Come." McCaffer turned on his heel and lead the way past the two hallways on either side to the black metal door ahead.

McCaffer, or General McCaffer as the guards had called him, always stayed at least one step ahead of her as they walked. Ginny knew she should have been somewhat offended, but she had needed the space to think and process what was to come next. And Ginny got time, plenty of it, as it took them several minutes of walking down a steep spiral path deep within the Earth until they arrived at a flat platform landing with a doorway on either side.

However, McCaffer did not slow down or turn into one of them. Instead he continued past, Ginny just barely had time to look into the ten foot tall and five foot wide entry ways. There were people mingling in all stages of undress. Both sides appeared to be barracks as Ginny could make out a bed and other typical dorm furniture.

Ginny didn't see much more than that as McCaffer was already making his way down another steep spiral path identical to the first. This time Ginny felt the time passage much slower. What was probably only a minute or two, felt like nearly half an hour before they arrived at another landing. Ginny wasn't nearly as surprised when McCaffer walked right past it without slowing. Like before, there were two doors across from each other. Steam was coming out from the edges between the door and the stone floor. As they passed, Ginny read the signs. The left read 'MALE' and the right 'FEMALE'. They were clearly bathrooms of some sort.

As they took the steep spiral path again, Ginny contemplated how much farther it would take to get to the room where the Fixer was at. She briefly considered whether it was such a great idea to be going this far down a tunnel to an unknown location, alone, before vigorously shaking the idea out of her head. Her family's life was at stake here. There wasn't much time left.

It took longer to get to the next landing than that last landing. Ginny wasn't quite sure as the tunnels themselves were only lit with torchlight every fifty feet or so. But it had to have been at least five minutes. Again, the hallway had two doorways one on each side. There wasn't much noise on this level, so Ginny expect McCaffer to led her though one of the two open doorways, but he never slowed. Ginny caught a glimpse of what looked like a Quidditch field on the right, and... A ballroom? Or maybe a game room? She wasn't sure, but it could have been both. Whatever it was, they were down the spiral path only seconds later.

The walk down the spiral pathway seemed to take several minutes more than the last. The distance between the game floor platform and the next was much greater than any of the others. Ginny was sure they had made it when they reached the platform. Unfortunately, McCaffer didn't slow down here either. They passed two corridors with three simple silver and green doors down each one. The look strongly reminded her of the Slytherin colors. This platform was the most confusing of them all. The first were barracks, the second bathrooms, and the third for games, but this... Whatever it was Ginny didn't have time to contemplate it as they had arrived at a dark dingy looking metal door. It had taken them less than a minute to walk from the last platform to here.

McCaffer pulled out his wand and tapped the door. As it swung open, he spoke for the first time in over twenty minutes, "Welcome to Anaon."

* * *

**_00:34 - 1 hour, 46 minutes_**

As Ginny walked past the metal door to Anaon, she expected to see a room right out of hell. More importantly, Ginny expected to feel the cold of the dementors. If there was any place the dementors would linger it would be in the heart of Azkaban. So, it was with much surprise that Ginny looked upon a dark hallway with four door shaped openings; three on the right side of the corridor and one across from the second doorway.

It was cold, but not freezing, the corridor was dark, but the torchlight lit the passage fairly well.

Anaon... the walk was too short for Ginny to reflect more on the place they were going. She would have to re-read that article tonight, no more pushing it off. This Fixer must have been related in some way to Harry. Nott, maybe.

The first opening on the right seemed to be a potions lab. At first glance, it seemed to be fully stocked. What interested Ginny the most was that there was no door. Only a brick archway. Nothing blocked entrance to this potions laboratory.

The next doorway came up far too quickly. Ginny needed to prepare herself more, she was not ready.

On the right was an extensive library. Clearly not as big as Hogwarts, but four times the size of the library in Grimmauld Place, which was the only private library Ginny had access too. It too had no door. However, across from it was a large thick blood red curtain.

'Merlin, I'm not ready for this... I need more time. If it is Nott behind that curtain, he'll never help me. Not after what my family did to his best friend. But, Merlin, do I need a miracle. I will not let my family die because of my cowardice!'

McCaffer went in first.

"Jim... What is it?" Ginny could hear a deep tenor voice. It didn't remind her of Nott, but she'd not heard from him in years.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you my Lord, but you have someone here to see you..."

Ginny too that as her cue and walked confidently through the curtains. Or tried too. Upon making it to the other side, Ginny nearly lost her ability to walk. Stumbling past McCaffer to stand in front of the one person she thought she would never see again.

'No, this can't be. He was dead. Everyone told her he was dead!' No one had ever out lived Anaon. Harry Potter was supposed to have died here, in Anaon, years ago, like everyone else. And yet, Ginny was standing before him. The Fixer, her only hope, was Harry Potter, the Prisoner of Anaon.

Ginny's eyes traced over him slowly. He didn't speak right away, for which she was grateful. He was sitting relaxed on the bed half behind a desk. He looked different; his hair was longer, unruly, even more so than when it was shorter. He was surprisingly wearing a blood-red silk top instead of the green and silver she was so used to him wearing. His black pants looked just as expensive as his silk shirt, and were wrapped at the ankles. A thick black cloth belt tied off his trousers. He wore no shoes or socks. His bare feet touched the stone floor. And his face... his face was harder than Ginny had ever remembered, but...

"Harry," she whispered. Ginny would never forget those eyes, those emerald green eyes that she never thought she'd see again…

* * *

_Ginny had only been sitting in her room for little more than ten minutes, when the twins opened her door._

_"Knock, knock" Fred spoke as he and George entered, closing the door behind them._

_"You know you're supposed to actually knock, not just make the sound." Ginny set the old stuffed animal she'd been holding down on her bed as she turned to face the twins._

_"Didn't want to give you the chance to say no," Fred replied as he moved over to Ginny's desk to sit perched on the side._

_"Now did we." George finished as he flopped down to sit on the chair next to the desk. Ginny laughed at her twin brothers' response. "What are you doing up here, anyway." George questioned._

_"It's not every day, our favorite sister turns fifteen." Fred added._

_"I'm your only sister." Ginny replied ignoring the question._

_"Then you should be glad you're our favorite too." Fred responded._

_Ginny turned away from them, a small smile on her lips as she contemplated answering. It was several second before she replied softly, "It was getting a little awkward down there..."_

_Fred leaned over to pat Ginny gentle on the shoulders, while George replied. "I know what you mean."_

_"We told Sirius it was too soon," Fred added._

_"But look on the bright side." George continued._

_"A bright side? For some reason, I'm having a hard time seeing one," Ginny replied as she turned back to face her twin brothers._

_"Oh yeah? At least Dumbledore's not here," George answered._

_Ginny laughed harshly at that, "Yeah, that is luck. I'm pretty sure Tonks invited all of the order members and most of my friends." Ginny smiled in thought. "She had the nerve to tell me, if I'd had more friends I wouldn't have had to suffer though the old folks."_

_The twins laughed with Ginny, before Fred replied, "Well, she does have a point..."_

_Ginny playfully hit her older brother before her face sobered. "You didn't come up here just to see your favorite sister?"_

_The twins share a look before standing back up, "You caught us."_

_"We got you one more present..." Fred pulled out a delicately wrapped package and handed it to Ginny. Ginny looked back at the twins before opening the present carefully. Inside was a newspaper. "We thought you would want to have it..."_

_Ginny opened the paper to the front page to reveal a black and white picture of Harry Potter being carried away by dementors. 'BOY-WHO-LIVED SENTENCED TO ANAON!' flashed in bold letter. Ginny touched the image delicately._

_"We know you never got a chance to read it."_

_"And when you were ready to read it..."_

_"Mum had already thrown out all the copies." Ginny made no motion to reply to either of the twins._

_Fred moved close to his little sister, and watched as she studied the front page of the special edition newspaper. "It wasn't the easiest paper to find."_

_"But we worked Lee into helping us find a copy for you."_

_An awkward silence enveloped the trio for several seconds before George broke it. "He didn't deserve to die."_

_"No matter the crime," Fred added._

_"Especially, not for defending himself," George continued._

_"He may have been a snake." _

_"But he always protected his friends." _

_"And could take a joke." A small smile touched Ginny's lips at that, so Fred continued, "We respected him."_

_"We still didn't think he was good enough for you," George spoke softly._

_"But no one really is," Fred added in a matter of fact tone._

_"It's a big brothers dilemma," George continued with a straight face and even tone._

_This time a laugh escaped from Ginny. She finally looked up at the twins, "Thank you." Ginny glanced briefly at the paper in her hands before looking back up. "Do you think they'll retrieve his body? Maybe bury him next to his parents..." Ginny paused but the twins did not interrupt. "After everything he's done... he's still the Boy-Who-Lived."_

_The twins shook their heads together as Fred replied, "I'm sorry Ginny."_

_"We asked dad about that first."_

_"We thought it would have made a better present, then just this paper."_

_"You getting to see him one more time." George paused before he continued. "To say goodbye."_

_"But he said it couldn't be done," Fred replied sadly._

_"Too dangerous," George added._

_"It's in the heart of Azkaban."_

_"Completely surrounded by dementors."_

_"No one can retrieve his body."_

...HER SKELETON WILL LIE IN THE CHAMBER FOREVER..._ Ginny let silent tears dropped to the paper beneath her hands._

_"Ginny?" The twins spoke together._

_"I'm not strong enough! I'm just a stupid little fan girl who couldn't save the boy who saved my life." Ginny wiped the tears from her eyes. "But I promise... I promise, that one day, I will grow stronger, and I will go there, to Anaon." Ginny paused. "I will not let his body lie in Anaon forever!" Ginny took a deep breath before continuing, "I promise, that someday..." Ginny paused to wipe away a few more tears. Fred moved to comfort his sister only to be stopped by the fierce look in her eyes. "I couldn't save him before. And I can do nothing now... But I promise, someday... I'll make sure his body don't lie there forever. No one deserves that..."_

* * *

**_00:45 - 1 hour, 35 minutes_**

Ginny hadn't thought about that night years ago in a long time. She'd made a promise then to come to this place and bring back Harry's body, even if only a skeleton remained. The twins had promised to help her if she needed it. But Ginny had never intended to ask them. It didn't seem to have mattered, though. Her promise was for naught, because Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, had never needed saving...

"Ginevra Weasley?"

His voice was colder than she remembered too, but Azkaban could change a person... How much more was different?

"You're not the first person I would expect to see visiting the Fixer..." Harry spoke breaking Ginny out of her thoughts.

She wasn't here for Harry or for herself. "My family is under attack."

There was a long pause where Ginny thought he would say nothing. "Why should I care about what happens to the Weasleys?" His reply surprised her. It was much crueler than she ever imagined coming from him. "No. This seems like... poetic justice."

Harry folded his arms as he leaned back letting his back touch the stone wall behind him. It was as if he were taunting her. Challenging her. This Harry was familiar, "But you are also the Fixer. Whatever my family has done, doesn't, shouldn't, matter to the Fixer. For you help those who are in need, those who are truly desperate."

Harry laughed at Ginny's reply. "That's just an old wives tale." He leaned in toward her as he continued, "I help those who help me. Desperation has nothing to do with it. In fact, I prefer not to deal with the desperate." Harry leaned back as he continued motioning with his hands as he spoke, "Desperation is only a temporary state of mind. Once it's over, how can I know I can trust their discretion?" Harry shook his head in answer to his own question. "No, the desperate is why I have Jacob."

Ginny was momentarily confused, before she realized that Jacob must have been the fake Fixer. "He was of no use to me. Your Jacob. But you..." Ginny looked around as if to survey their surroundings. But it was only a ploy to gain her bearings, for she was to wound-up to really observe anything. "The wards surrounding the Burrow are anchored to stones. It's an extremely powerful ward design that not just anyone could do, and definitely not within the time limit I have."

Ginny tried not to think about the time limit. She must have been very close to it now. "I've no way of getting through them. But you could. Those wards would be nothing compared to the wards of Azkaban, of Anaon." Ginny directed her attention back at Harry before continuing, "I didn't need Jacob. I need someone as strong if not stronger than Riddle." Ginny paused to let her words sink in. "That can only be you."

Harry did not immediately respond. Ginny didn't want to think about how much time she had left. She couldn't afford to let him think it over for several hours. And the Harry she remembered was not one for indecision. If he was going to do it, then he would decide now.

"Yes, I could do it. Break the wards around the Burrow, among other things... But you seem to be missing a very important requirement for speaking with the Fixer." Harry paused only for a second, "Why should I help you? You've nothing to exchange Weasley..."

"Weasley? You've not called me that in a long time, Harry." Ginny replied without pause.

"Times have changed. Haven't they?" Harry looked passed Ginny pensively before he snapped out of his own thoughts. "Leave, Ginny. You're wasting my time."

"Have I ever wasted your time before?" Ginny shook her head to answer her own question, "Never, and I don't plan to start now." Ginny knew she could not offer the family clock now. She only had one other option left...

"What is your bargain?"

"Save my family, and I'll trade you my life." Ginny took a deep breath before continuing. "I'll trade you my life as a Healer. I'll be the Ankou Company's personal Healer, no charge. Whenever you need or your people need. Let my skills be yours to control..."

* * *

AN: So, I don't normally say this, but thanks to every one who reviews. I'll read every review eventually, even if I don't reply to them all. In fact, I changed my plot line for this chapter because of an interesting review. So, you have emarald777 along with my twin who managed to get me to chance my original idea for the healer bargain... I think this makes more sense then what I originally had. And surprisingly, this change makes it easier for me to write the next couple of chapters. I'd also like to thank bkats for betaing.

Ginny turned out to be a heavy drinker... I blame the twins... why else would she just happen to have several detox potions on hand?

Best part about writing this chapter, pub names, hands down.

Side note, I don't mind guest reviews... just keep it clean alright... I'll have to take it down if it uses coarse language... And try not to sound stupid if you're going to flame me... I check just to be sure, but the characters are still Harry and Ginny, in the drama and romance genre, which... bare with me... means this is Harry and Ginny pairing... surprise... no, really, I can see why someone with limited English reading ability could think, by just reading the first three chapters, that this is not a Harry and Ginny story, and if that's not your cup of tea, then try not to read stories with Harry and Ginny as the main characters... that way you don't run into problems like this...

KJ

PS. This turned out to be the longest chapter I've written so far, and that's after I cut chapter three and four in half. I had to cut out another 2000+ words from this chapter to start the next. That doesn't excuse the fact that it was several days late. Sorry about that. I'd like to have the next chapter out in two weeks instead of three. Wish me luck.


	6. Interlude

**Interlude - July 27th, 1995**

Grimmauld Place was on a somewhat isolated street in London in a quiet neighborhood. In this upscale suburban district, all the three story townhomes had well-kept lawns and their street lamps turn on. On a weekday night like tonight, it was not atypical for all of the houses on the lane to have lights out by ten. Therefore, at a quarter past midnight when a normal passerby walked down the lane on his way home he was unconcerned by the darkened houses.

However, he was a little surprised by the heavy foot traffic that seemed to disappear between houses eleven and thirteen. This wouldn't have surprised him nearly as much, if only he could see the house between numbers eleven and thirteen Grimmauld Place. In number twelve Grimmauld Place at a quarter past midnight, the lights were not out, and that foot traffic was the Order of the Phoenix members in complete chaos.

"I told Dumbledore Harry needed a guard, Moony! I told him You-Know-Who was back! There's just no reason for Harry to lie about something this big!" Sirius was almost pulling his hair out as he walked with Professor Lupin toward the dining room.

"I know Padfoot, and I'm sure Dumbledore believes You-Know-Who has returned. It's just how much Harry was involved with it." Professor Lupin paused at the door to continue talking alone with Sirius. He was clearly trying to calm him down and not having much success. "At the time you didn't really fight that hard about the guard either."

"While at the time, my bloody cousin was still in Azkaban! There wasn't a reason to believe You-Know-Who would come after Harry this soon!"

"I thought so too. If You-Know-Who was going to do anything it would have been to recruit him, but an attack? Padfoot, we don't even know that's what this is... Harry could just be with one of his friends."

"Moony, I want to believe that so badly. I was sure that we would have more problems with getting him to stay at Privet Drive, but..." Sirius continued walking into the dining room, "This doesn't feel right..."

The conversation trailed off as Sirius and Professor Lupin entered the dining room, too far for the youngest Weasley to hear.

This didn't sound good. Harry was in trouble.

"Ginny, you shouldn't still be awake."

Ginny nearly jumped from her semi-hiding place on the stairs when Hermione's voice came from behind her. "Hermione!" Ginny whispered sharply before turning back around. It looked like Tonks was back for the third time tonight. If Ginny had counted right that was nearly all of the Order members.

"Ginny... Come back to bed, before Mrs. Weasley finds you here." Hermione spoke again.

Ginny was currently eavesdropping from her 'hiding place', a concealed shadowy area on the stairwell overlooking the dining room. She wasn't surprised that Hermione had found her, as it wasn't a very good hiding place to begin with. The only reason no one had found her so far was because they'd all been too busy to notice the little red-head on the stairwell. Her mother hadn't even noticed yet, which was saying something since she seemed to have a red-headed child second sense honed to perfection well before Ginny was even born.

Hermione cleared her throat loudly to remind Ginny of her presence which caused Ginny to wish that this wasn't only a one-way kinda-sorta hiding place.

"Ginny..."

"I couldn't sleep," Ginny glanced behind her at Hermione as she continued, "and it seems neither could you."

"The noise has been going on for some time now." Hermione gave her explanation. "Besides, the only person who could sleep through this is Ron. That being said, the noise doesn't give us a reason to be down here." Hermione got back to the topic at hand, "So come back up to our room. If you can't sleep, then we can talk about b..., ah, anything you like."

Ginny wasn't stupid, and clearly neither was Hermione, "Hermione, really?" Ginny turned back to observe the doorway and the dining room. She couldn't hear anything in either direction. She'd have to change that soon if this was really going to be an Order meeting about Harry. "Order members have been coming and going for more than an hour now. Tonks has tripped over that umbrella stand twice waking up Mrs. Black each time before they just moved it out of the way. What makes matters worse is that all of their talk revolves around _Harry_." Ginny paused here for a minute to calm her anger. "And you expect me to go back up stairs and ignore all this?! What do you think I want to talk about?_ Boys_?" Hermione looked down in embarrassment. "He's missing, Hermione. Harry is _missing_!"

Before Hermione could reply to Ginny's angry monologue, Professor Dumbledore came from the basement. Clearly having just flooed in. The Headmaster's and Ginny's eyes locked briefly. There was no twinkle, just a cold calculated stare. Ginny felt a cold sweat begin to form at her brow. Her head began to ache, but she held her focus. As soon as she thought she might be sick, it was over. What felt like minutes was only seconds as Professor Dumbledore continued into the dining room. Closing the door behind him.

Was that everyone? Ginny count again.

"Yes," Ginny spoke aloud while getting up from her 'hiding place' and moving up the stairs around Hermione. Hermione looked confused but triumphed as she followed Ginny up the stairs ready to go back to their room. Only for Ginny to move right past their shared bedroom.

"Where are you going, Ginny? Our room's back that way…" Hermione trailed off.

"And the twins' room is this one." Ginny said as she knocked briefly on the door before opening it. "Fred, give me one of your Extendable Ears." Ginny demanded with little fanfare.

"Oi, Ginny, what if we had been sleeping?" Fred replied.

"Or starkers?" George added.

"Extendable Ear, now." Ginny completely ignored the twin's protest.

"Woo, settle down there." Fred replied with his hands held up in surrender.

"We'll give you one." George added.

"You don't have to snap." Fred continued as he handed over one of their Extendable Ears.

"What do you need this for anyway?" George asked.

However, Ginny was already out the door and walking down the stairs by the end of his question. Seeing no other options, the twins followed their sister to hear her reply, "The Order is having a meeting."

"Oh, well of course that explains it all." Fred replied sarcastically.

"Since it's so rare for the Order to host meetings at their headquarters…" George added.

Ginny didn't both to reply. Instead Hermione explained. "Potter's location is currently unknown, and Ginny believes this meeting is about him."

The twins exchanged an understanding look, before they went over to help Ginny set up by the dining room door.

"I still don't think we should be doing this, whether or not Potter's missing." Hermione replied as she too crept down the stairs after Fred and George.

"Oi, what's with all this racket?" Ron replied as he took in the scene before him by the dining room door. "If you guys were going to spy on the Order, why didn't anybody wake me up too?" Ron asked in a loud voice as he stormed down the stairs. The sounds of everyone going up and down the stairs having finally woken him.

"Quiet Ron!" Ginny whispered furiously before she turned back to the dining room door and put her Extendable Ear under the gap in the floor. While Ginny completely ignored the others presence, Fred and George disentangled more of the fleshy string and separated four additional Extendable Ears to hand out to the others.

The Weasley children and Hermione watched as each of their strings went under the door easily. "I guess Mrs. Weasley forgot to put an Imperturbable Charm on the door." Hermione said with a thoughtful expression on her face.

The twins looked to each other briefly, "Whatever it is they're talking about most be serious." George spoke.

"If mum didn't have time." Fred continued.

"... Or forgot." George quickly added.

"To put an Imperturbable Charm on the door." Fred finished.

"I'm sure Potter's fine. He probably ran off to Nott's place. It's a reasonable explanation since he normally spends his holidays with him." Hermione responded.

Ginny sighed, "I'd like to believe that, but something about the look Professor Dumbledore gave me... I don't think this will be good news." Ginny looked back at Hermione for a second to gauge her reaction. "I overheard Sirius talking to Professor Lupin." Ginny paused again as if she didn't know what to say, or maybe it was because she just didn't want to say anything. "He mentioned Death Eaters could be involved. Even if it's the worst case scenario, I can't shake this feeling that something very wrong has happened." With that Ginny pulled her focus back to the door in front of her as if she could see right thought it simply by wishing.

"Is that all this meeting's about? Potter?" Ron waited for Hermione's nod before continuing, "If that's all, then why are we wasting precious night here? Who cares what happened to Potter?" Ron continued to mutter under his breath, but Ginny only caught the end, "I could be sleeping right now..."

"No one's making you stay!" Ginny whispered fiercely.

"If I could get to sleep, trust me I'd be goal keeping for the Cannon's right now." The twins gave Ron a warning look that he completely missed. "But with all this bloody moving about over Potter. I can barely stay a sleep for a couple of minutes." Ron continued under his breath, but not soft enough that he was unheard, "Didn't even get to get on the broom…"

The mood darkened further at Ron's muttering, Ginny was about to hex Ron, when the twins saved his bits.

"Ickle Ronniekins…" Fred began.

"Ronniekins..." Ron muttered, but George talked over him.

"Dear brother of ours."

"Now is not the time to get your knickers in a twist." Fred continued.

"Not over the details of this meeting." George continued as he put his left arm around Ron.

"Details?" Ron tried to take George's arm off his shoulder, but George held firm.

"For those details could lead to unfortunate results for said knickers." Fred added as he put his right arm around Ron.

"So, settle down." George patted Ron gentle as he let go.

"Or go to bed." Fred squeezed Ron's shoulder roughly before letting go.

"Otherwise, you won't be getting much sleep for a while to come."

"You know how these older houses are."

"Older houses?" Ron questioned.

"Just can't seem to get rid of the spiders." Fred replied before George got the chance.

"Spiders!?" Ron's voice went up an octave in fright.

Hermione looked disapprovingly at the twins, but turned to Ron to speak, "Ron, it doesn't matter if Potter's a Slytherin. He's still the Boy-Who-Lived so his safety is important to the Order." Seeing Ron's uncaring look, Hermione changed her tactic, "And his parents were Gryffindors, so he can't be all bad."

"Quiet!" Ginny whispered, "They're starting the meeting." She'd heard enough of that conversation, and didn't want to be distracted from the conversation she needed to hear.

* * *

"All right Albus, we're here so tell us about the boy," Moody voice broke the uncomfortable silence within the dining room. His rough voice didn't sound any different than the imposter who'd taught her DADA class last year.

"Mr. Potter is alright," Ginny let out the breath that she had unconsciously been holding. The twins also looked relieved.

Ron looked like he was about to say something, but Fred cut him off with a stern look.

A small murmur erupted from the group inside the dining room. "If he's alright, then where is he? Why isn't he here? Why didn't you bring him with you? Harry should be here, safe with the people who love him. I've told you that from the beginning. He should have been here with me all of the time not just the weekend. Not that you even give us the weekend this summer!" Sirius voice interrogated the old wizard.

"I said he was alright, at the moment anyway. I did not say that everything would be fine." Professor Dumbledore countered. This realization quieted the murmuring voices in the background.

Sirius must have been rendered speechless, as it was her father's voice who replied. "What's happened Albus?"

"Arthur," Professor Dumbledore took a moment to continue, "Mr. Potter is in a highly secure Ministry holding cell."

"That's where Potter is, not what's happened." Moody replied.

As soon as he spoke, commotion broke out. "Does it matter!? Why aren't we on our way to break him out!?" Sirius yelled. Ginny could hear the scrapping of a chair that sounded like Sirius had stood up quickly.

"Mr. Potter is in a holding cell, because he was arrested." Professor Dumbledore raised his voice over the chatter.

"Why is our Boy-Who-Lived behind bars in a Ministry holding cell and not at his relative's house? Nothing he could have done would warrant an overnight stay." Moody inquired.

"Mr. Potter was arrested, because of the use of the dark arts in a muggle area," a collective gasp came from the group sitting around the table, "and the use of the Killing Curse, twice, along with the use of the Cruciatus Curse." There was a pause for which Ginny could only assume the professor was staring down the room, "Under these circumstances, I believe an overnight stay was the very _least_ the Ministry could have done."

The silence that followed was deafening, and long lasting. Giving the children outside the door time for their own meeting.

* * *

"I knew that snake couldn't be trusted," Ron growled out in anger. "It was just a matter of time before everyone else saw what I've been saying from the start!"

"Ron quiet," Fred said as he looked at Ginny. Her head was still facing down, making it impossible for either of the twins to read her.

A soft murmur could be heard from Ginny as she began to shake her head, "No. There must be some mistake. Some explanation. Harry would never… It's impossible. Not the killing curse. Not unless he had no other choice to survive." Ginny paused briefly as if she was thinking out loud, "Harry must have been attack. And there's…"

Ron interrupted Ginny mid-thought, "What's wrong with you Ginny? Why are you defending that snake? You can't possible still like that bloke after he got sorted into Slytherin," Ron question Ginny tactlessly. "I thought you got over that silly little crush years ago?" As Ron finished, the meeting in the dining room continued. Saving Ron from the nasty hex Ginny had been prepared to cast.

* * *

"Why?" Ginny recognized the female voice as Tonks'. "Are we sure he wasn't framed? There was no one watching him, so anything could have happened, especial since the mass breakout."

"Why? I could only guess. I'd like to say I didn't see this coming, but..." Professor Dumbledore began.

"No! Harry would never do these things unless provoked... What happen, Albus?"

"I checked the boy's wand myself," the Headmaster ignored the direct question and continued on a different line. "I found he'd used numerous dark curses. Some far darker than any of Voldemort's Death Eaters ever used and probably don't even know."

"But why? It doesn't make sense for Harry to use those curses in a muggle area." Tonks questioned.

"It doesn't matter what the circumstances were. The fact at hand is that Mr. Potter used the Unforgivable Curses, Nymphadora."

* * *

"Hell no it doesn't matter. They'll send him to Azkaban for sure." Ron smiled happily.

Fred took Ron's Extendable Ear from him.

"Go, we'll tell you what happened later."

"What... I don't..." Ron trying to respond when Hermione took his hand to lead him away.

"Come on Ron, let's go upstairs. We've heard enough." Hermione spoke as she started up the stairs towards Ron's room.

* * *

"That's my godson, you're talking about. I can't just let him rot in Azkaban." Sirius replied to Professor Dumbledore.

"Azkaban, humph. I doubt the Minister would put him away for this, or the Wizengamot for that matter." Moody replied.

"What are you saying, Moody? Everyone knows the use of the Unforgivable Curses is a life sentence in Azkaban." Tonks questioned.

"No, Alastor is correct. As it stands, we would not be able to do what is right. The Wizengamot will not want to be responsible for sending the Boy-Who-Lived to Azkaban. Anything I or a character witness from his class could say wouldn't get him more than an expulsion from Hogwarts." Professor Dumbledore replied.

Ginny could hear a sigh of relief before Sirius spoke again, "Thank Merlin."

"So what should we do now? With Harry out of school, he'll be an easier target for You-Know-Who." Ginny recognized Professor Lupin's voice.

"He'll need a guard now, don't you agree Kingsley?" Tonks' light voice paused as if waiting for a response. She must have gotten one since she continued, "Should we also get him a new wand? They'll destroy his, and we don't want him defenseless. Not with You-Know-Who and his top followers on the loose."

"I'll get him everything he needs." Sirius replied, "There's no more reason for him to go back to the Dursleys either." There was a short pause before Sirius continued, "We'll go away for a while. Get out of the country. It'll be a new start for the both of us, and help him get back on the right path."

Ginny's shoulders relaxed. She would get to see him again. Harry would be fine. Not all together happy about the events, but fine. Ginny was sure he could have taken his NEWTS already and passed with twelve Outstandings, anyway. More importantly, Harry would still get to see his friends during the summer and winter holidays, and be away from the danger that Riddle represented. Ginny would not lose him just yet.

"But is that the right decision, Sirius? Do you really think you can change him so easily?" Professor Dumbledore replied.

"Well, yeah. I haven't been in his life enough for him to understand right and wrong when it comes to magic. But that's not his fault. I blame Snivellus for that."

"Sounds like a good plan to me, getting him out of the country for a little while. But, I'd hold off on a wand until we can trust him. Without it, he's not much of a wizard." Moody replied in his rough voice.

"But is taking his wand away enough? I wouldn't be surprised if he already had a spare wand." Professor Dumbledore talked over the sounds of protest coming from inside the dining room, "But even if he didn't, I ask you again. Is that enough?"

No one replied. Ginny understood their confusion. Why did it matter? Getting expelled from Hogwarts was a very severe punishment in itself.

"Mr. Potter has performed the _dark arts_. Spells far more advanced than any book that could be located in the restricted section at Hogwarts. Spells the majority of Voldemort's Death Eaters would never have even heard of, let alone be able to perform!"

"He made a mistake, Albus. Everyone makes mistakes. He couldn't help it being from Slytherin house. A place like that could lead anyone astray. But don't worry, I'll make sure he gets on the straight and narrow from here on out." Sirius replied.

"I could believe a mistake of casting one or two dark spells, but the Unforgivables? No one mistakenly casts the killing curse!" Professor Dumbledore paused to catch his breath. Ginny imagined he was shaking his head, "Sirius, what would James _think_." There was another pause before the Headmaster continued. "We can do what is right, or we can do what is easy."

"There isn't any other choices. You said so yourself." A deep male voice that Ginny didn't recognize replied.

"I alone could never convict him to Azkaban, Kingsley." Professor Dumbledore paused, "But Sirius. Sirius you could."

"Me? I could never. I'm his _godfather_. I'm all he has left!" There was distress in Sirius voice as he spoke, "He'll be expelled. That should be enough."

"Tell me Sirius, do you believe that Hogwarts still has anything left to teach Mr. Potter?"

"He's top of his class. Harry could have taken his OWLS at the start of last year and gotten straight Outstandings." Sirius replied with pride in his voice.

"I have to concur. Harry's progress truly is remarkable. He comes to me and all of his teachers with questions. Be it before class, after class, or during, Harry always has some comment, some question, to pose. He is truly a pleasure to teach. I'm always amazed that he was not placed in Ravenclaw. His thirst for knowledge is that strong." Ginny recognized Professor McGonagall voice.

"If Mr. Potter's thirst was purely for knowledge's sake, then I would be happy to see him continue. But I've seen this before. A boy similar to Mr. Potter in nearly every way, who also thirsted for knowledge. However, his thirst was for the power that knowledge gave him." The Headmaster paused in thought, "I've watched Mr. Potter closely. I've seen how he interacts with his so called friends. The way Mr. Potter cultivates relationships that benefit him. Mr. Potter is extremely charismatic. To the point, where he can control older students with ease. In his own house at the beginning of this past year, the majority of the fifth and sixth year students took his lead. After the tournament, even the seventh year students deferred to him."

"What are you trying to say Albus? Spit it out!" Moody interrupted the professor.

"I'm saying that if we do_ not_ do everything we can now. In ten, fifteen years, we will have another Dark Lord, possibly worst then Voldemort."

Ginny listened to muttering from several voice. She listened carefully for Sirius' protest, but he remained silent. It was Tonks who spoke next, "I think that's you're being extreme, professor. Harry performed dark magic. He didn't try to take over the world." Muttering of agreement could be heard as Tonks continued, "Besides, Harry's involved with Ginny. You-Know-Who would never do something like that."

"Yes! That's right. Harry told me he'd finally asked her out. You-Know-Who doesn't even know the meaning of love, while Harry can. He's smitten with her." Ginny blushed at Sirius' comments.

"After all of this? I wouldn't be sure Ginny would still want to date him." Ginny listened to her father reply.

"No dear, our Ginny will still care for him." Her mum responded.

"I have to agree. You should have seen them at the Yule Tide Ball. It was like watching Lily and James all over again with the roles reversed." Professor McGonagall added.

"I didn't know they'd gone together. I would have thought he'd mention it." Sirius responded.

"They didn't, which made it so much more adorable." Tonks responded. Ginny was never more aware that her brothers were listening to this as well then at that embarrassing moment.

"I've seen what Mr. Potter is doing, and it is not love. He is not pursuing or even interested in Miss. Weasley like James was to Lily. It is unfortunate that Mr. Potter is nothing like his father. Severus saw to that, despite my warnings."

"Still, he is going out with Ginny now. She'll be able to save him from his path." Sirius replied.

"I'm sorry Sirius, but Mr. Potter is simple using Miss. Weasley as a cover. A powerful witch from a strong light background. His intentions were obvious from the beginning." Ginny heard movement and seconds later Professor Dumbledore continued, "You know it to be true, Sirius. You know it in your heart."

There was silence as everyone waited for Sirius' response. Ginny was sure Sirius would not change his position, because in his heart he did know the truth.

"You're right."

"No." Ginny didn't even realize she'd spoken aloud, and the twins did not comment as Sirius continued to speak.

"I knew it in my heart the moment you told me. Harry's nothing like James, I can't treat him like a miniature Prongs. If anything Snivellus managed to turn Harry into mini-version of himself. In my heart I knew Harry was going to hurt her. I knew it when he told me about her. I just didn't want to believe the truth." There was a slight pause as Ginny listened on in horror. "I wish it could have been different."

"As do I, Sirius. As do I. But know this, you are doing what is right. And in doing so, helping to bring about justice." Ginny did not know if Sirius spoke, but for whatever reason Professor Dumbledore continued. "I know this is hard Sirius, but it must be done. For the greater good."

* * *

Ginny didn't stay to hear any more of the meeting. Tears streamed down her face as she clumsily made her way to her room.

Once there Ginny collapsed on her bed. She'd never been more thankful that Hermione had not come directly back to their room. Ginny wouldn't have known what to say.

They were going to send Harry, the love of her life, to Azkaban because he defended himself! Hermione would not understand. She'd be too hung up on the dark arts part of the conversation. And if Hermione had heard any of that last part…

Ginny had only mentioned Harry asking her out on the train ride home to Tonks. She'd known that Hermione wouldn't be able to understand her feelings for Harry. But Ginny knew Harry. He would never use the dark arts in a muggle area like that with his _own_ wand. Not unless he had no other choice.

Harry was too careful to get caught like this. If Ginny tried to explain her reasoning, Hermione would just counter with a 'He performed the Unforgivable Curses, Ginny. You can't still love him after that.' But Ginny did. Harry's actions didn't bother her. No, Ginny already knew the depth of Harry's knowledge included the dark arts.

Of course, he'd never performed them in front of her, but the way he talked about magic... Harry always like to compare it to muggle weapons. Magic was a means to an end. It's not magic, but the individual's intent that determined what was good or bad.

Harry had even given her several gray books to learn from with that philosophy in mind. The first time he'd given her a gray textbook, Ginny had known it to be a test. How would she react to a book that was illegal in the Ministry's stand point, but could not be called dark? Ginny had read and mastered the book faster than Harry could have anticipated. The small smile that had touched his lips when she had asked questions about later chapters of the book would have been worth learning a million dark curses.

So, Ginny didn't care how many dark curses Harry knew or performed, because she knew his heart was in the right place.

Sure he had a temper, but didn't everyone?

More importantly, Harry had never hurt her even when angered. He didn't pretend to be someone he wasn't when they were together. Harry had never tried to hide parts of himself from her. And Ginny loved that about him.

And now, when they were finally going to be together openly. Harry was going to be thrown into Azkaban! What was Ginny going to do? What _could_ she do?

"Ginny?"

Ginny swirled around in surprise as she watched her twin brothers close the door behind them. Had she shut it when she'd entered? Ginny couldn't remember.

"How are you holding up?" George spoke.

Ginny loved the twins. They weren't her favorite brothers. Bill held that spot and Ron for a while when it was just the two of them, but she did love them. Ginny was just not in the mood to entertain them. So, she turned around on her bed and hoped they got the message.

They didn't, "You didn't mention dating Pot… Harry." Fred spoke into the silence.

Ginny gave the twins a sad smile at their attempt to be kind. She was sure that was the first time she'd heard them call him by his first name. "We're not. Harry only just asked me out. We aren't boyfriend and girlfriend. We haven't even been on a date, yet."

"Still, this must be very hard." George replied.

"Don't. Please." Ginny didn't want to hear that she could do better. She didn't want to know what the twins thought. Because no matter how kind or understanding they tried to be, they could never understand this.

They seemed to sense this too for Fred changed directions, "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Ginny was about to say no before she changed her mind. The twins could help. "Get them to stay away. I don't know how you can get Hermione to leave me alone, but please try. I just don't think I could control myself if Ron lorded over this."

"Alright we'll make sure they don't bother you, Gin-Gin." George replied.

Ginny looked around briefly before realizing where they were, Grimmauld Place. "And please make sure Siri… no Black, leaves me alone too."

"Okay Ginny." Fred said as he tried to put a comforting hand on Ginny's shoulder, but Ginny flinched away.

Ginny saw the look on the twins face, and knew they wanted to say more. However, Ginny knew she'd not be able to handle their pity. "Please, I need some time alone."

The twins nodded and left without another word.

* * *

AN: If you're having trouble placing when this it. The chapter takes place before the trial in chapter one - the prisoner. As for the chapter itself... I wouldn't call it a chapter per se, but an interlude. Thus, it's shorter than my normal chapters. Why? Two reasons mostly. The first, my twin tells me that an interlude can be longer or shorter given the need. My need = shorter. The second, the chapter was originally intended to be a flashback within a real chapter, but turned out to be far to long. With that said, you're probably wondering why it took so long to get out? The answer...

I had planed to post chapter five instead, but at the last minutes (last Tuesday night) changed my mind. Which brings me to good news and bad news. Bad news: it took me longer than I wanted to get this chapter out (I didn't even send it to my beta), and the chapter is half the normal length. Good news: I already have chapter five written, so I'll be posting it some time this week (after it's seen my beta). But don't get use to that kind of thing...

I forgot to say last chapter that I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does. - That's going to have to count for the interlude as well... (Haven't a clue how to make a better arrow, but you get the point...)

**Side Note (1)**: I've noticed a few of the reviews mention Ginny and Sirius' relationship. So, I decided to comment here about it. My Ginny has a subtle response to Sirius. As a member of the Order, she can't outright ignore or show her dislike to Sirius. It would have interfered with her work as a member of the Order. Ginny may be many things, but I don't see her as unprofessional. That being said, I've wrote it so that Ginny thinks of Sirius only as Black, even if she uses his first name when speaking. This makes Ginny and Sirius' relationship one sided. Sirius wants them to be friends like before the trial... but we all know this can never happen.

My twin managed to miss this as well, so perhaps I was to clever for my own good here.

**Side Note (2)**: As a genetics geek, I had to add this to my author's note. The following is a link to an article about Wizarding Genetics. I have read it and I think it's a pretty good explanation on wizarding genetics. But I'm always open to some lively debate on how accurate her analysis on the wizarding mutation.

post/27495622491/i-sent-this-paper-to-jk-rowling-e xplaining-how-the

If that link doesn't work, you can pm me for it, or check the link out on my profile page.


	7. Chapter Five: The Devil's Deal

**Chapter Five: The Devil's Deal**

_"Yes, I could do it. Break the wards around the Burrow, among other things... But you seem to be missing a very important requirement for speaking with the Fixer." Harry paused only for a second, "Why should I help you? You've nothing to exchange__, Weasley..."_

_"Weasley? You've not called me that in a long time, Harry." Ginny replied without pause._

_"Times have changed. Haven't they?" Harry looked __past Ginny pensively before he snapped out of his own thoughts. "Leave, Ginny. You're wasting my time."_

_"Have I ever wasted your time before?" Ginny shook her head to answer her own question, "Never, and I don't plan to start now." Ginny knew she could not offer the family clock now. She only had one other option left..._

_"What is your bargain?"_

_"Save my family, and I'll trade you my life." Ginny took a deep breath before continuing. "I'll trade you my life as a Healer. I'll be the Ankou Company's personal Healer, no charge. Whenever you or your people need. Let my skills be yours to control..."_

* * *

Harry observed Ginny closely. He did not try legilimency. No, he'd pretty much taught her occlumency in his third year. Still, Ginny had other tells. A slight pressing of her lips together, would have signaled her impatience. A crinkle of her nose would have signified the beginning of her anger. A slight crease of her eyebrows would have signaled frustration.

Currently, Ginny's brow was slightly creased. The problem was that he could not be sure her tells still worked the same. It had been a _long_ time since he'd seen her.

Because of his time in Azkaban, the last memories of Ginny he had were no longer of fourth year. No, he kept looking at this Ginny and seeing her smaller, younger... Harry had half expected for Ginny to start yelling at him about the Chamber incident when she'd arrived.

It had taken him several minutes to believe that the Ginny before him was real. She was not the eleven year old Ginny from his nightmares. She wasn't even the thirteen year old Ginny from the Yule Ball, wearing his dress despite the fact that they'd not gone together. That thought allowed other memories of his time with Ginny at Hogwarts to wash over him, briefly. But he quickly squashed them. It had been a long time since those memories had come to him, and he was not about to change that now.

Hogwarts had been a long time ago, and this Ginny was clearly no longer his Ginny. No longer that girl. This Ginny looked him in the eyes without straying; there was no shyness. Her conviction was strong, solid. She would do anything to save her family.

Harry planned to use that to his advantage.

He tried not to smile to himself. His plan had worked better than he'd thought it would. He'd only wanted to see her, to test her. But Ginny had gone beyond that.

To use her Healer abilities, the very reason he'd wanted this meeting, as the bargain... No, Ginny did not disappoint. But could she rise to the challenge again?

"Why would I want a half-trained healer? I can't do anything with an apprentice healer, nor do I want to wait for you to finish and then find out if you're any good."

"An apprentice healer?" Ginny looked slightly insulted at Harry's question. "I haven't been an apprentice for more than three years, Harry." Ginny's expression turned from insulted to disappointment as she continued, "I'm surprised you didn't know."

Harry kept his face neutral at Ginny's response. He'd been caught off guard. Harry very much disliked the feeling of being caught off guard. Moreover, it had been a while since anyone had talked to him like that. It would seem that after all these years, Ginny still knew what to say to get under his skin. Harry could have smiled at that too. He may have been challenging her, but she was also challenging him.

"Three years... Impossible, even for you." Harry replied. If that were true then Theodore would have at least mentioned it in passing.

Ginny took no time to reply, "Says the man who's been free of Azkaban for more than four."

"Four years? Such a precise number..." Harry deflected.

"Precise? I'm not just talking to the Fixer... I'm in the presence of the leader of the Ankou Company, the Reaper." Ginny paused briefly, but Harry did not change his expression. "Since the appearance of the Reaper four years ago, you've had your hand so far up Fudge's arse I'm surprised he can still walk."

Harry could not hide his smile at Ginny's word choice this time. She had not disappointed him. If there was anyone who could have put the pieces together with so little to go on, it was Ginny. Dumbledore was just too prideful to think someone could manipulate Fudge so well. On the other hand, Tom was too arrogant to directly manipulate Fudge as he had. Not to mention his ideas wouldn't have been well received. He couldn't very well help Fudge decrease his own activity, now could he...

More to the point, if Ginny could really do what she said she could... Then his plan would have worked better than he'd originally thought. He'd not only get to see Ginny once more, but for years to come. More importantly, he could fill the position his empire needed the most, a head healer. She could train future Ankou healers throughout his _small_ corporation.

All of this because Theo had casually mentioned the occupations of all the Weasley's years ago. It had been in the back of his mind for years now, and when Lucius had come for an exchange three weeks ago... Well, there were some opportunities that just had to be used. It had been a gamble that she'd make it this far, but not a big one.

Harry knew all about her little foundation. He'd read Jacob's reports in detail. He kept close track of the different types of people who went through the 'Fixer'. The probability that she'd make it this far had been too high to pass up, but she still had to be able to deliver. Immediately.

Instead of answering or replying directly to Ginny, Harry called Jim back into the room. He'd stepped out as soon as Ginny had stumbled past him, "Jim, a word."

"Milord." Jim bowed as he spoke, "How may I be of service?"

Harry reached out with his left hand as he replied, "Your arm, Jim." There was a pause before he added "please" as an afterthought.

Jim extended his right arm to his master without further question. His obedience was rewarded with a deep gash as Harry waved his right hand over it. Jim gritted his teeth in pain, but said nothing and did not pull away.

Harry moved Jim's arm in Ginny's direction before letting it go.

"What are you doing!? That cut's deep enough he'll bleed out in minutes!" Ginny spoke as she began examining the wound.

"That's unfortunate, since I'm very fond of Jim." Harry paused as his eyes darkened, "If he dies, then so does your family."

Ginny grimaced at the promise, but did not reply. Instead, Harry watched as she moved into action. He was not surprised when the first thing she tried was magic. But he'd never give a challenge with such an easy solution. The spell he'd used had only one counter curse. A curse for which Ginny could not possibly know. There was only one way to stop the bleeding and only five people knew that counter curse. Harry was the only one within a 10,000 km radius that could perform the spell.

It seemed Ginny too realized that she would not be able to figure out a counter curse before Jim bled out. She put away her wand. It was a hopeless situation, really, with a no-win solution for Ginny.

Instead of forfeiting right away, what Harry considered the smart solution, Ginny pulled out a potions kit from within her robes and gave one of the vials inside the kit to Jim.

"Drink this. It's a blood replenishing potion." Ginny stayed only long enough to see Jim drink the potion before she was out the door. Harry and Jim both watch her take a sharp right. Interesting...

Jim looked at the door in pain before turning to Harry, "Milord, if she forfeits, will you, perhaps, heal my arm?"

The pathetic look on Jim's face was enough for Harry to reply to him. "Of course." Harry looked out into the distance before continuing, "But she has not left Anaon, so I will not assume her forfeiture. Yet." Harry had no plans on letting Jim bleed to death. No, he was too useful and trustworthy. There was no point in losing him over a test.

Besides, Jim really didn't have anything to fear. Harry was keeping a mental note of the time. With that blood replenishing potion, Ginny had ten more minutes to show Harry what she could do before Jim would lose consciousness. Even with the added time, Harry did not expect Ginny to complete the task. It was, after all, impossible.

Ginny would not have been able to complete it even if she'd had a week to prepare. The point of the test was not for Ginny to heal Jim. No, Harry had always planned to heal Jim himself. But to see her in a no-win situation. How would she react under pressure? If she could think critical in this situation, then she'd do fine as his organization's healer.

Harry just didn't see a reason for Jim to know that. He was too likely to give Harry's plan away, which would not help with negotiations.

When she failed, for it was a matter of 'when' not 'if', her failure would put him in a very good position for negotiations. He could probably even get her to agree to serve him for the rest of her life.

Of course, if she didn't have a good showing, for which he doubted seriously could happen given the current events, then he'd not agree to the bargain. Harry would not let his personal feelings get in the way of business. And this was business...

Ginny returned with little more than a minute before Harry deemed Jim would pass out. Her arms loaded with bowls of what Harry could only guess were prepared potions ingredients from his private lab. He'd assumed that's where she had gone. Very resourceful... She'd known she didn't have time to brew a potion, but what could she do with just those ingredients, prepared or not?

Harry watched as Ginny ripped the remaining cloth from Jim's right arm and began lining the wound with the contents of one of the prepared bowls. Some brown mush that was surrounded with purple juices. She then began placing the contents of the other bowls on Jim's arm at what seemed like random places with no clear overlying pattern.

But, the bleeding stopped. Harry leaned in closely as Ginny continued to work. She took some of the other prepared ingredients off of the wound only to replace it with some type of greenish brown paste. Once the wound was packed with the paste, Ginny transfigured a needle and took out a very thin threadlike ingredient, cut beyond recognition, which had been soaking in some type of sour smelling juice from the last untouched bowl.

Harry watched fascinated as Ginny sewed the wound back together. He was sure it would not stay, but it held. Impossible... Ginny gently covered the wound with a clean cloth that she conjured. "That will stay for a couple of days, but I'll want to change it tomorrow." Ginny leaned back on her heels and sighed in relief, "I'm sorry, but it will scar." Ginny continued before anyone else could, "However, I should be able to make you something to decrease the scaring over time."

Harry watched Ginny carefully as she wiped her brow, and turned her attention back to him. She met his gaze as an equal, and raised her left eyebrow in challenge. Ginny had just done the impossible. She'd far surpassed his expectations, putting him in an awkward position.

He could no longer negotiate her services for the rest of her life. At least not in good conscience. He'd have to decrease it. How long would it take her to organize his forces to include a competent healer component, ten years, twenty years...? No, he couldn't think like that. There was only one deal he could honestly make, given her skills.

"I've passed your test. So, I take it we have a deal." Ginny spoke.

"We have a deal." Harry replied with slight reluctance.

"Five years, then?" Ginny offered in negotiation.

"Don't insult me." The low offer had given him back his wind. "A year for everyone you need me to save."

Ginny paused for a brief moment doing the math mentally, "Nine years."

"Aren't you missing someone?" Harry replied.

At that statement Ginny looked confusingly over at Harry but chose to list the names aloud, "Mum, dad, the twins, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Ron and Hermione..."

"And you." Harry interrupted. Ginny's expression turned stern. She'd clearly not considered herself as a victim as well. "Ten years of service."

Ginny looked thoughtful, but Harry knew she would agree. Ten years of her life for her family's life was a deal she could not refuse. And she didn't.

Ginny nodded her head in agreement as she responded, "What do I need to do?"

"Normally, an exchange is done, you give me our agreed upon item in exchange for my… services." Harry paused interlacing his fingers in front of him. "And that would end our exchange. But this is impossible..."

Harry's expression remained unchanged as he continued. "More importantly, you are not one of my men, so I will not ask for your unwavering fidelity via magic. Instead, I shall simply say this. For the next two months, you are to come here every day. I do not care when as long as you are here for a minimum of two hours." Harry paused here for Ginny's nod of agreement, "After which you will have a schedule you _will_ keep. If you do not, you forfeit the lives you would have saved with this bargain. For every day you cut short of my time, will be time I will personally cut short from one member of your family. In whichever order I please." Ginny nodded solemnly, "Don't forget, there are ten lives I'm saving, and no grace period."

Harry waited for Ginny's response. She replied with fire in her eyes, "I understand." Ginny took a deep breath "Please. Save them. There isn't much time left."

"Then we have a deal." Harry stood up and crossed forearms with Ginny. Bringing her close. He let his aura out to surround them and pushed magic to his eyes. Harry watched Ginny for her reaction. Knowing that his eyes would be glowing and his magical aura overwhelming.

Ginny did not hesitate, or flinch away. He could detect no fear in her eyes, but there was something... Harry didn't know what it was. And it was gone as soon as he saw it, but it was there. Harry had never seen it before in anyone else's eyes, and found himself staring trying to decipher it.

"Milord, why don't you get your cloak while I start with the arrangements?" Jim interrupted. Harry had forgotten he was still here.

Harry waved his left hand in dismissal as he took a step back from Ginny. "No, I'll do it myself." He then preceded to wandlessly summon his evening cloak and a pair of black boots.

Upon see Harry's boots, Jim spoke again. "I'll get that for you, sir. You needn't lower yourself to such menial labor." If Jim didn't stop acting like Harry never went out...

"Enough, Jim. You've done enough for today." The dismissal was clear and Jim obeyed, reluctantly.

"You sure you didn't want him to at least tie your shoes for you? Wouldn't want you to have to _lower_ yourself to menial labor, now would we?" Ginny's reply was full of sarcasm.

Harry didn't bother to respond. Instead, he sat back down and wandlessly charmed his shoes to tie themselves. It was an unnecessary piece of magic, like the aura trick he'd picked up from Dumbledore and Tom, but it would likely shut Ginny up. From the look on her face, he had the bonus effect of impressing her.

"Anymore comments or can I go save your family?" Ginny looked embarrassed, but shook her head no. Harry turned to go, but changed his mind. "One more thing." Harry grabbed Ginny's arm and created a small wound on her wrist. Ginny yipped in surprise, but did not pull away. As her blood began to drop, a summoned vial appeared beneath it.

"Should I ask what that's for?" Ginny questioned after Harry had finished.

"You'll find out soon enough." Harry answered as he turned to leave. Before exiting the room, he spoke once more over his shoulder. "I trust you can heal yourself?"

Ginny's reply was to take her wand out. She returned it to its holster seconds later.

Harry smiled to himself as he left the room. Holding the blood red curtains open as he turned to face Ginny, "Don't get too comfortable. This won't take that long." The next second he turned on the spot and was gone in a soft 'pop'.

* * *

The early morning air around the Burrow simmered with magic. Lucius had been here for nearly twenty-four hours, three times the length he'd thought he'd needed. However, that didn't truly matter. The ward stones he had acquired from the Prisoner of Azkaban could easily last for years. Of course, Lucius didn't plan on needing nearly that much time to break into the Burrow, but it was nice to know that he needn't worry about outside interference. Not from Dumbledore and his Order, and definitely not from the Ministry's Aurors.

Still, there were downsides to being here for that length of time. Lucius' meals had not been to the standard he was used too, and his sleeping arrangements were lacking. However, the thought of the reward for his success was enough to keep both discomforts manageable. Of course, that didn't change the fact that he'd been sure it would only require eight hours... There was no telling what had gone wrong.

The plan had been for his group to go undetected until the Weasleys were long dead, but he supposed this would work just as well. The helplessness Dumbledore must have felt when he realized he could do nothing... The Dark Lord would enjoy that the most, along with heads of the Weasleys. Now he just needed to get to them.

Once the last of the Burrow wards had been destroyed, his group would finish off the Weasleys inside. They were unlikely to go down without a fight, but that was why he'd brought twenty of the newest recruits with him. Including the ward breaker and himself, it would be twenty-two against nine. The Weasleys didn't stand a chance.

Even better was that Lucius' plan didn't call for him to dirty his own hands. Once they could damage the Burrow, he'd have the men torch the place. It would be a marked improvement on the current building. Probably increase the property value. Not that the Weasleys would be around to enjoy it. Oh, he supposed the widows might fight over it. But the end would be the same. The Weasleys would either die inside or come out and be slaughtered. The entire clan would be dead in one fell swoop. It would be a blow to Dumbledore's Order like no other.

A soft rustling sounded to his right causing Lucius turn around sharply. His wand at the ready. But there was nothing behind him. Lucius looked around carefully. He'd been sure he'd heard something. Lucius knew it was impossible, but the longer he was here the more likely someone could have gotten past the ruin wards. He observed the area closely, but nothing. It had probably been a gnome. The Weasleys seemed to have an infestation of them, to which Lucius couldn't be all that surprised. Vermin attracted vermin.

Lucius shook his head and put his wand away. These days, he seemed to startle more easily. Lucius hoped this would not take much longer. Otherwise, this assignment just might finally break him.

"Good evening Lucius." Lucius jumped out of his skin at the voice behind him, "Or should I say good morning?"

Turning around slowly, Lucius gave a tight smile to the Prisoner of Azkaban, "Lord Potter, what a... surprise." Lucius didn't even try to draw his wand. There was no defending against a killer of dementors. Lucius wasn't sure if he should ask what the younger man was doing here, or just wait for him to speak. In the end, he opted to just wait this one out. It wasn't worth it to offend this young man.

He didn't have to wait long as the Prisoner spoke, "I have respect for you Lucius, which is why I'm bothering to tell you this at all."

Lucius swallowed loudly, this did not sound good...

The Prisoner stared him down, "You have five minutes to leave this place before I kill you."

"Wha... uh? I beg your pardon?" Lucius asked with confusion written all over his face. Did they not have an agreement?

"Four minutes and fifty-three seconds, Lucius." The Prisoner of Azkaban walked away disappearing into the magically inducted mist. Lucius did not for a second believe him gone.

Lucius turned toward the ward group. He had little time to finish this, and he _must_ finish it. Returning to the Dark Lord empty handed would not be good for his health.

"You, ward breaker."

"It's Jarvis, sir." The ward breaker Jarvis replied.

"Yes, Jarvis, whatever. How much longer will it take to finish breaking down these wards?"

Jarvis looked at the wards in question, "Probably another fifteen minutes, sir."

"You have four." Lucius didn't wait for the ward breaker's response. Instead he moved over to the five teams he'd set up earlier. "I want the leaders from the five teams now!"

The five men began to stumble to attention, but it was taking them too long. "I said now, damn you!"

The men pushed their way to stand in front of Lucius quicker at the sound of their boss' anger, "Sir?"

"Do you remember your jobs once the wards are broken?" Lucius didn't wait for a response. "Groups one and two are to attack from the back with any fire spell they know, while groups three and four attack from the front. Group five will enter the house killing anyone you see. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

Lucius nodded his head before walking away. He had less than three minutes to deactivate the ruin wards and leave. It would take him five if he had to walk the entire time. So, once he was out of sight of the men, he ran. Lucius knew the Prisoner did not bluff or give time buffers. More importantly, Lucius had reviewed their agreement in his head. It had only been for the pendants and the stone wards. Nothing was said about the success of the attack or that the Prisoner of Azkaban would not interfere.

For the first time, Lucius noticed the unnatural silence of the surrounding forest. His heartbeat was beating in his ears so loud he was sure it filled the air. Not soon enough, Lucius found himself at the central ward stone. He didn't have time to turn it off properly or completely, but he could still misalign it.

Lucius pushed the ward stone back nearly half a foot by hand. Not bothering with his wand. The area in front of him simmered. Lucius waited no longer than that. The barrier singed the back of his robes as he dove through and apparated away. The Dark Lord would Cruciatus him for sure whether they succeeded or not, but he would live...

* * *

"How much longer Jarvis?" One of the team leaders Lucius had pulled out earlier asked.

"Another thirty seconds."

"Do you know where Lord Malfoy is Khan?" A nameless recruit asked his team leader, Khan.

"Does it matter?" Khan turned back to Jarvis. "I thought you were supposed to get this done in four minutes." Khan looked at his watch before continuing, "It's been nearly five minutes now."

"If you keep talking to me, it's going to take..." Jarvis didn't finish as he started to retch violently. Brown and red slushy liquid poured from his mouth. Followed by... was that flesh?

"What the fuck!" Khan yelled as watched in object horror as Jarvis began to vomit his intestines. He only had time to scream as his head imploded, brain matter landing on his surrounding group members.

"Shit! Who did that!?" The young recruit spun around on his heels trying to find the source of the violence. "Show your god damn fucking self!" The nameless recruit shouted at nothing. Around him fellow Death Eaters screamed in pain as they fell to the ground. If they were lucky they'd be dead on impact, but some continued to writhe and scream.

A buddy he'd been drinking with just a couple of hours ago, tried to gouge his own eyes out. He ended up running into a sharp pole that appeared out of nowhere. The nameless recruit held his wand out shakily as he continued to circle around and around trying to keep the brutality in front of him. He watch as one by one his fellow Death Eaters died. The majority of which appeared to be very painful deaths. He did not sign up for this shit. The nameless recruit knew he could get Cruciatus, but this... This was torture plan and simply. The killing curse would have been a kinder end.

The young recruit looked at the predawn sky. "I don't know if there's anyone out there..." A loud scream sounded in the background before all was quiet, "But please." A soft sound rustled from behind the nameless recruit. He barely noticed when he defecated on himself. Words trembled out of his mouth as he spoke to the sky and the person behind him. "I'm sorry, whoever you are... I'm so sorry... Please don't..."

The nameless recruited didn't get to finish. Instead, he grabbed his neck, blood flowing through his hands. The recruit only had time to look at his own blood pouring from him before he fell to the ground. Unmoving. Dead.

Harry looked around him at the bodies scattered across the cold Earth, "I hate cleanup..." Harry waved his hand in front of him and watched as the Earth sprouted up and swallowed the bodies whole. He rarely had to clean up his own messes. Why should he, when he wanted everyone to know the work was his? But that wouldn't work for the Weasleys...

Harry had calculatedly left the body with the least damage above ground to send his message. He observed the body to try to remember how he'd killed this one. Yes, he'd boiled his blood. The body looked pretty good from the outside too. There was only a little bit of blood caked under his nose and at the corner of his mouth. He'd have to remember to do this spell again if he needed a usable body.

Harry stood up and conjured his signature scythe. In one smooth motion, he chopped the head off. Harry then preceded to stage the body. Like a scarecrow, the body pointed away from the house it protected. It would be a sign to Tom, if Lucius didn't understand the warning he'd given earlier. This would send the message. The Weasleys were now under his protection.

Harry looked around one more time. He'd never had the need to use the undertaker spell before and wasn't sure how deep it would take the bodies. It might be awkward for the Weasleys to find several decomposing bodies in the front yard in a couple of months. But that wasn't his problem.

Harry started walking in the direction that Lucius had taken just minutes ago. It didn't take long before he came up to the central stone.

After Harry adjusted the stone's alignment, he took out the vial of Ginny's blood to alter the wards protection. It didn't take long to change several of the wards from a simple on and off to one that would accept the Weasleys' presence.

It was likely to be altered further by Bill, so Harry didn't bother to put any more energy into it. This would allow the Weasleys to come and go as they please, along with activating the floo system in this direction so that Hermione could get out even if she couldn't get back through the wards.

Harry stepped through the wards and apparated away. He was done here.

* * *

As Harry walked into his room, he was met with the sight of an anxious Ginny leaning against his desk.

At the sight of him, Ginny moved from the desk to stand in front of him. "My family... Are they safe?" Ginny asked.

Harry did not immediately reply. Instead he took off his cloak and sat down to undo his shoes by hand. "Go home Ginny." Harry paused to take off his right boot, settling it in front of his bed. "Your family is safe." Harry took off his left boot, and set it next to its mate. "Tomorrow..." He banished his boots before putting his full attention on Ginny. "Tomorrow, we will begin."

Ginny nodded, her shoulders sagging in relief before she turned to the door. Harry noticed her hesitation and questioned her, "Can you find your way back or do you need me to get Jim to escort you?"

"No. No, that won't be necessary." Ginny replied. She moved the thick curtain, but paused on her way out. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. I didn't help you out of the kindness of my heart. This is a deal, nothing more than that."

"Still, you didn't have to help." Ginny looked kindly back at him, "I promise you will not regret this decision."

Harry laughed softly before he replied, "It's you who may come to regret this deal." Ginny hesitated only briefly before leaving Anaon. "Yes, let's hope you don't regret this..."

It was nearly an hour later before Jim returned. "You took your sweet time, Jim."

"I'm sorry milord. I wasn't sure if you'd gone to sleep yet, and didn't want to bother you unnecessarily."

Harry waved his hand in dismissal, "Did you give Ginevra a direct Azkaban apparition talisman? I don't want her to take the boat."

"Of course, milord. I thought it would be an unnecessary inconvenience." Jim paused briefly in the silence. "As the General you put in charge of this militant, I must apologize for the mistakes that led to your previous disturbance. I'm not sure how Miss. Weasley managed to get this far, but I take full responsibility to whatever punishment you deem necessary. No Weasley should have ever gotten this far to bother you, sir. And for that, I sincerely apologize." Jim bowed low as he finished his apology.

"I was surprised that she made it past you with everything Theo's probably told you about the Weasleys."

"For that, I must also take responsibility. When Danny told me that he'd sent her to see Major Schneider, I wasn't sure what he was thinking, but I did not directly intervene like I should have. I trusted too much that the pictures of the Order members would be enough that something like this would never happen. That trust was misplaced."

"Ginny didn't come here on Order business; quite the opposite I'm guessing. Danny must have sensed that from her. That is not something you could have accounted for."

"Even so milord, this is inexcusable. You should not have had to deal with her. My apologies cannot express how deeply sorry I am. Please, sir. I am ready for my punishment."

"That's enough Jim. Despite what Theodore has undoubtedly told you, Ginny isn't like the rest of the Weasleys. I'd even intended for her to find me, so Danny did exactly what I wanted him to do. Therefore, there is no need for your apologies or punishment." Harry paused in thought, "I'll want to look into her record as a Healer of course, but we have an agreement, now." Harry turned to Jim, "I want you to make sure she has the best accommodations that we can offer. In fact, give her the room across from yours."

Harry was about to continue but he could tell that Jim wanted to interject. "Unless there is a problem with that decision?"

"No problem sir." Harry waited for Jim to continue. It wouldn't take long. Jim was more relaxed when they were alone. "It's just... I thought we were going to give that room to Davies. He's worked really hard. More importantly, I figured that having him closer wouldn't be a bad idea."

"Davies? No, he already has a room adjacent to the kitchen. As a cook, that is where he belongs. I want the room across from you to go to Ginny." Harry paused. "Make sure she has a fully stocked library of healing materials, counter curses, potions books, anything and everything she may need. If we have to, we'll have the Goblins add additional rooms to incorporate the library."

"If you insist. I'll see to it personally."

"Get her an assistant for potions brewing as well."

"I'll give Owen a promotion and swear her in to the new level of clearance before Miss. Weasley arrives."

"Very well." Harry laid down, signaling Jim's dismissal.

"There is another detail we must address, milord." Harry looked up in question. "Miss. Weasley will need a uniform. I don't think you'll want her in the normal one."

"You're right. Ginny will need a unique uniform to signify her healing position and her importance to the organization. I trust you can handle it?"

"Yes, sir. I'll have someone get on that along with any other robes and clothing she may want or need. If she's to have a room, then it should be fully functional. It wouldn't do to have her coming and going at odd hours of the night."

"Yes. Make sure the room is fully functional. A home away from home. Anything you or Danny have should be in her room as well."

"Yes, sir. I'll have Davies fully stock her kitchen, and have one of our trusted female members obtain toiletries, and any other personal supplies she might need. A couple of spare St. Mungo's Healer robes should also be added. I'll even have the room re-styled in the Gryffindor fashion."

"No, don't re-style the room. All your other plans are fine, but not that. Ginny's favorite color is green, so she'll like it the way it is now."

Jim hesitated to reply, "Of course. Milord, there is one other problem we must attend too."

"What is it, Jim?" Harry had grown tired of this conversation and it showed in his voice.

"We've no more room in Azkaban for Miss. Weasley to set up to receive patients."

Oh, now that could be a problem. Harry took a few minutes to think of other places that might work for Ginny. It would have to be close, and they didn't have time to get the Goblins to create a new room for her... "Use my ritual room. Have it redesigned for her purpose. I'll use the stone in my room until we get a new ritual room."

"Yes, sir. I'll have it done before her arrival."

"Good Jim, but don't let this interfere with your other duties."

"I would never dream of it, sir..."

* * *

Ginny apparated directly to her apartment. She took two steps toward her couch before fatigue hit her. Ginny leaned heavily on the back of the couch. Her eyes felt heavy. Her shoulders sagged. Ginny was dead tired and it showed. Even so, she could not sleep yet. Her family was free, and soon they would contact her. And then… and then… Ginny's mind blanked. Her ability to think had dropped with her adrenaline. All she wanted to do was sleep. But she needed to see her family. Ginny knew herself well. There would be no easy rest until she saw them.

Ginny wanted to just go to them. She could apparate to Grimmauld Place and wait for their arrival, if they weren't there already. However, it would have given away her involvement if she waited for her family's arrival right under Dumbledore's nose.

Ginny moved around the couch to settle down and wait. She'd be close at hand when someone flooed her. One minute she was watching the fire and the next...

"Ginny! Ginny!" Black's head popped out of the floo in front of her, waking her from a nightmare. "Thank Merlin you're still up." Ginny didn't know how she'd fallen asleep, and she didn't have time to contemplate it as Black continued. "You need to get over here now. It's about the Burrow..." Black's floating head smiled as he continued, "Everyone's alive!" Black laughed hysterically, "They're alive!"

"Thanks Sirius, I'll be right over." Ginny replied tiredly.

"Let me get out of your way!" Black's head disappeared from the green flames so that Ginny could floo to Grimmauld Place.

Ginny stood up to follow, and nearly keeled right over in her hurry. She squeezed her eyes shut in pain, moving her hand to her head to try and massage the migraine developing at her temple. Taking a deep breath, Ginny straightened her body. She did not have time for this.

Instead of going straight to the fireplace, Ginny walked shakily over to the kitchen sink and splashed cold water on her face. The cool water wouldn't help her migraine, but it would help wake her up a little. After drying her face off, she took out a pepper up potion from the kit still in her robes. It would help her headache for a few hours at most. Ginny hoped she wouldn't need more than that.

Ginny was halfway through the process of flooing to Grimmauld Place with a pinch of floo powder in her hand, when she realized she was still wearing her gray robes. She briefly looked over to where her room was before deciding it would just be easier to transfigure the robes she already had on to another color.

Five seconds later, Ginny was moving through the floo with green robes and joy in her heart. Her family was safe.

Ginny arrived to a warm, but empty, kitchen at Grimmauld Place. It was not, however, silent. She could hear her mother's voice from here. As Ginny moved slowly up the stairs, she could make out more voices. The twins laughing with Black, Ron and Hermione arguing, Charlie talking with her father... As Ginny reached the first floor landing, she saw Dumbledore near her father and Lupin smiling with Black and the twins. Professor McGonagall was sitting at the dining room table speaking with her mother. Professor Snape was in the far corner of the room with Mad Eye close at hand.

But Ginny's focus was on her family...

"Ginny!" Her mother shouted getting up from the table.

"Mum!"

"Ginny!", "Gin-Gin!" Her family chorused.

Her mother engulfed her in a hug, followed closely by her father.

"Mum, dad. It's so great to see you." Ginny replied as she pulled away. "But where's Bill and Percy?"

"Home with their families. We've been here for more than two hours now, so Albus just sent them home. Although Bill will be back later today." Her father answered.

"You've been back for two hours. Why didn't anyone tell me sooner?" Ginny wasn't sure what time it was, but it had to be closer to four in the morning if they'd been here for two hours.

"We thought you'd be asleep at this hour. We wanted at least someone to get a good night's rest."

"How could I sleep with the knowledge that you all were in trouble?" Ginny shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You're here now." Ginny hugged her mum and dad again before pulling away to get a good look at them. Harry had not said if anyone had been hurt in the crossfire."Is everyone alright? What happened?"

"Yes, Weasleys. What happened? I'd also like to be informed about this morning's events since no one has seen fit to update me." Professor Snape asked. Mad Eye grunted his agreement, while Professor McGonagall also looked on curiously. However, Lupin and Black looked unconcerned. Ginny was surprised that Lupin and Black were the only ones to have already heard the story. What was Dumbledore hiding?

Ginny's father looked over at Dumbledore briefly before replying. "It was the middle of the night when our pendants went off. Curiously enough, summoning us to the Burrow. Molly and I went downstairs to wait for the meeting to start. As one by one, only our children arrived. We thought nothing of it." Her father nodded at her mum, who gave a nod of agreement. "It wasn't until fifteen minutes after Ron and Hermione had arrived, when we grew concerned about no one else's arrival. So, I asked Ron and Hermione to settle down, so that I could floo Albus."

"We were talking…" Hermione began.

"More like arguing." Fred interrupted.

"Again." George added.

"We were _talking _about how my pendant must be malfunctioning, since it didn't go off when Ron's did. I thought we ought to ask Professor Dumbledore about it once he arrived, while Ron disagreed, strongly."

"In my defense, the pendants aren't supposed to malfunction. That's just not supposed to be possible."

"So, I was in the process of flooing Albus, when Molly let out a horrified gasp. I'd already thrown the powder in and called for Grimmauld Place, but nothing happened. So, I turned to my wife to see what had upset her."

"I'd been watching Ginny's hand on the clock to make sure she was safe." As her mum said that, she rubbed her hands up and down Ginny's arms. "She was at work, and I was about to tell Arthur our little girl wasn't going to make it to the meeting, when all of our hands went from home to mortal peril."

"It was seconds later before we felt the wards shudder." Her dad replied softly.

"Bill checked the wards to see if they'd failed completely." Charlie took over the explanation. "They were still active, but being drained. Broken into crudely. Bill was sure it would take nearly twenty-four hours for the wards to fall."

"Unfortunately, that didn't change the fact that a secondary ward had been created to block apparition and the floo connection." Hermione added.

"We tried to apparate when dad couldn't use the floo, but nothing." Ron spoke giving evidence to Hermione's statement.

"And Miss. Weasley was still at work, correct?" Professor Snape asked. Ginny was unsure why he wanted to know that particular point.

"Yes, Ginny's hand never moved from work. It was the only thing that made the situation even a little more bearable." Ginny's mum replied.

"Bill wanted to go outside to check the secondary wards, and see if he could break them." Fred spoke.

"And we wanted to go with him as backup." George added.

"But, dad convinced us not to." Fred finished.

"I came up with a different approach to tell how many people were outside of the Burrow that didn't include going out to count them." Hermione paused dramatically.

"Which would be?" Professor Snape snapped impatiently.

"Hermione counted their body heat." Ron replied heatedly, "There were twenty-two outside the Burrow. We were completely outnumbered."

"I see... It is interesting that Miss. Weasley was not included in this attack. Granger was clearly in the wrong place at the wrong time. But that doesn't explain why Miss. Weasley was excluded from the attack. This situation just doesn't make any sense." Professor Snape replied.

"I was called to the Burrow." Ginny looked at her parents with a guilt ridden face as she continued, "But I was also called into St. Mungo's. I chose to go there instead."

"It's alright Ginny. Watching your hand safe at work," Ginny mum turned to her father, "Before you father managed to tear me away from it." Her mum turned back to her, "It was one of the only things that kept me going."

"Who was in charge of watching the clock, if I may ask?" Dumbledore inquired.

"The twins volunteered to watch it for us to see if our condition changed." Her father replied.

"So, you lot were stuck behind these secondary wards, huh?" Moody replied. "From what Albus has already told me about the wards, it should have been impossible to penetrate in either direction." Moody paused as his magical eyes rolled around in his head. "How is it you managed to escape?"

"Alastor!" Professor McGonagall replied in outrage over his callous question.

"We didn't..." Charlie replied with a distant look on his face. "The wards were about to fall. Bill was sure of it. He, Percy, and I were to guard the front door. Ron and the twins the back, while Hermione secured the windows.

"I was preparing for a fire. It was the most likely choice given the situation." Hermione added.

Charlie continued as if Hermione had not spoken. "Bill convinced mum and dad to stay in the kitchen while we waited and watched." Charlie paused. His eyes unfocused as if he were reliving a nightmare. "It was torture. We could see them. Not well after Bill and Hermione had reinforced the window, but we could see them. And we could hear them. Laughing. Talking. Drinking with their _mates_."

Charlie's eyes were hard, intense. "As we waited at the front door..." Charlie paused to shake himself. "The _screams_... I'll never forget those screams. It was over so quickly. One minute, the screams were so intense it was as if they were right in front of us. I wanted… _we_ wanted to help them. And the next moment…" Charlie didn't finish. And for a while, no one else spoke.

"Then what? Did you see the force that was behind it?" Professor Snape interrupted the silence. The way he'd asked the question made Ginny believe he was hiding something. Some piece of information he didn't want anyone else to know. Why?

"We didn't go out immediately. Dad convinced us not too. But when we did..."

"What _boy_? What did you see?" Mad Eye questioned.

"There was one body left. Out of twenty-two, only one Death Eater's body remained."

"And you're sure he was a Death Eater." Professor Snape questioned.

Charlie nodded to the Professor, "Yes. At first I thought he was just sleeping, or maybe unconscious. So we took a closer look at him. But he was dead. With his Death Eater mask, laying in his lap." Charlie looked Professor Snape in the eyes as he continued, "Professor, he was leaning on a scythe with his head next to him…"

"So, it was the Reaper." Professor Snape spoke almost to himself.

Moody let out a short hard laugh, "I'm telling you Albus, we don't need to go after this punk." Moody chuckled to himself, "He'll kill himself going after the Death Eaters."

"Alastor, we must not lose sight of what is important here." Professor McGonagall admonished Mad Eye. "What are the Reaper's motivations for saving the Weasleys for instance? Does he expect something in return, or has he already received it?"

"There's more. Bill and I took a look at the wards. The Burrow's original wards were completely destroyed, but the secondary wards… They were stronger than ever, but more importantly, they no longer prevent either me or the Weasleys' from using the floo." Hermione responded.

"We flooed immediately to Grimmauld Place once they got back. Didn't want to chance apparition, just yet." Ron added.

"So, the Reaper saves the Weasleys _and_ adds stronger wards to the Burrow. All because he seems to hate Death Eaters." The disbelief hung heavily from Professor Snape's voice.

"Yes, it's hard for me to believe as well Severus, which is why I had Sirius bring Ginevra here."

"Excuse me? Bring _me_ here…" Ginny did not like the way that sounded.

"Albus, you told me to get Ginny so that she could reunite with her family. What are you going on about, now?" Black countered.

"I'm curious, Ginevra, why you weren't included in this attack? I also find it curious that after I'd informed you that there was nothing anyone could do, the Weasleys were still saved. By the Reaper no less." Dumbledore interrogated Ginny.

"Are you implying I have something to do with the Reaper? Some information about the Reaper that I've not been sharing?" Ginny deflected the question with disgust in her voice.

"I'm implying that you would do anything to save your family. If this is not true then I apologize." Dumbledore held no apology in his voice.

"Albus?" Professor McGonagall question. She was clearly going to have words with him in private.

"Enough, Albus. That's my daughter you're accusing." Ginny's father defended her.

"She's part of the Order just like everyone else. Putting her life on the line to help, when she doesn't have to." Her mum added as she stepped protectively in front of Ginny.

"Damn it Albus! Ginny's a healer, for Merlin's sake! I know my sister, and she'd have nothing to do with someone like the Reaper!" Charlie yelled in outrage. "If Bill were here hearing this..." Charlie shook his head in disappointment as he let the sentence hang.

"It's an easy conclusion to come to. She's the only one who knew of the entire situation, and for whom I know not of her whereabouts for the past several hours." Dumbledore gave a dramatic pause. "Tell me what else am I to think?"

"It would make for an excellent cover." Mad Eye added, not helping her case.

Ginny was not going to let them know the extent of her involvement. Beside, Dumbledore would never believe she was not involved with the Reaper from the very beginning if he learned the truth. He would not learn it today, and not from her.

Ginny stepped in front of her parents and looked Dumbledore straight in the eyes, challenging him. There was no twinkle, just a cold, calculated stare. She had seen that look before. When she was much younger, she'd not understood what it was, but now... Now she knew. "We both know what this is about, and it hasn't got anything to do with my family's current situation." Uncontrolled anger crept into her eyes as she spoke, "You've never trusted me, and it's not because of anything I've done. You can't read me like the others. But that's not my fault, and it doesn't mean I've had _anything_ to do with what's happened to my family."

Ginny paused, unable to speak as tears welled in the corner of her eyes. A trick she'd perfected when she was eight. "Merlin knows I wish I had been responsible for saving them. For at _least_ finding them someone who _could_ help, but I couldn't… I didn't even know where to begin. And I won't let myself become your _easy _way out."

The dining room erupted in noise. Outrage from her family that Dumbledore would use their sister, their daughter, as a scapegoat.

"Silence!" Dumbledore commanded and the dining room went silent. "There is an easy way to prove that you were not involved with today's events." Dumbledore turned to the twins as he continued, "Can you recall, George, Frederick, the movements of your sister's hand on that amazing family Weasley clock? Any movement that was not at home, work, or here?"

The twins didn't even hesitate to answer. "We were watching the clock carefully, besides her travel this afternoon."

"What time was it?" Dumbledore interrupted. Her father held his face in disapproval at Dumbledore's question.

"It had to be close to two yesterday afternoon, wasn't it Fred?"

"Yeah, she went from work, traveling, work, traveling, home, traveling, and home in about three hours."

"Gin-Gin's been at her flat since then."

Ginny's father took over for the twins. He put his hand firmly on Ginny's shoulder in support. "This is an instance of what is easy and what is right, Albus. Ginny is the easy target, but not the right one."

Dumbledore took a moment to think before he replied. "You're right Arthur." Dumbledore breathed out, "I'm sorry Ginny for the accusation. I seem to have let my imagination get away from me_._"

"I'm just glad that everyone's okay." Ginny replied.

"With that option eliminated, we must look in a different direction. But first," Dumbledore turned to Professor Snape, "Severus, are you sure this was a Death Eater attack?"

Ginny's attention immediately went to Professor Snape. She was tired and, with her family safe, all she wanted to do was sleep. But this was important, potentially useful, information.

"Without a doubt. In fact, Lucius Malfoy led the attack." The Professor tilted his head in Charlie's direction as he continued, "He is the only known survivor." Before Charlie could reply, the Professor continued, "But only because he ran away before the… fighting."

Moody snapped to attention, "Ran away? Malfoy? That doesn't sound like him. Did he know the Reaper was coming?"

"He didn't say why, at least not in front of everyone. It is most likely that he informed the inner circle of his reasons." The Professor looked hesitant to continue. Dumbledore pounced on his hesitation.

"What else was there Severus?"

"The Dark Lord mentioned that Lucius had guaranteed the attack would work. He'd promised the Weasleys' heads would be laying at his feet the next time they met."

"Guaranteed? Malfoy guaranteed it?" Dumbledore needled the Professor.

"He guaranteed it."

"I don't like it. Not one damned bit! Why would scum like him promise his Dark Lord anything? No Malfoy wouldn't guarantee anything, unless he'd had assurances from someone else. Someone he trusted." Mad Eye added.

"I do not know if he had someone helping him. But I can tell you that he has excelled for the past several years at just about every other task the Dark Lord has set him. Something I've mentioned to you before, Dumbledore." Professor Snape paused to look over at Dumbledore before he continued, "The Dark Lord was very surprised to see him fail at this one, which was probably why he chose to only… discipline… Lucius for his failure, and not do something more permanent."

"Thank you Severus for the information. Will you be able to look into the situation more?" The question was not a question, but Dumbledore's way of giving out unpleasant orders.

The look on Professor Snape's face showed that he was no stranger to this type of order, "I shall do my best."

"That is all I can ask, my boy. In the meantime, I want to further discuss the new wards surrounding the Burrow..."

Ginny tuned the rest of the conversation out. She would get an update on the new wards from Bill soon enough. Now, all she wanted was to find a bed. Her exhaustion must have showed on her face because her mother gave her one more lingering hug.

"Dear, we'll be fine. You, however, need to get to bed. You have work in the morning, and I don't want your patients to suffer from your lack of sleep."

"Mum, I'll be fine. I just want to make sure everyone's alright before I go."

"Well, you've seen us." Ginny was about to reply, but her mother talked over her, "You can come back tomorrow, or today, I suppose. We'll be sleeping here tonight, me and your father. So, you go on home, now. My little Healer." Her mum always knew how to make her children feel like they were five again.

"It was so good to see you all safe. I only wish Bill and Percy were still here."

"They're safe. Now go home and sleep. That's an order from your mother."

"Yes, mum." Ginny kissed her mum goodnight, something she'd not done for years, and moved to leave.

"Goodnight sweet heart. We'll see you tomorrow?" Her father kissed her on the forehead.

"Not likely. But I'll try. Work was bad today, yesterday…" Ginny shook her head in confusion. She needed to get some rest. "When I go in, I'll probably be swamped."

"Don't work too hard."

Ginny made her way out of the dining room. "We'll leave with you." Fred spoke as he and George followed her to the basement kitchen.

It wasn't until they were alone, before Fred spoke up again. "Thanks sis."

"Thanks? For what?" Ginny asked tiredly.

The twins smiled together as George replied, "We don't know how you did it."

"And we don't care." Fred added.

"Thank you." They said together.

"You'd have done the same." The twins smiled at Ginny's reply. Fred held out his hand in front of him, demonstrating that she should floo first. Ginny grabbed a pinch of floo powder before she paused and turned back to the twins, "How did you guys manage to lie to Dumbledore without him knowing?"

"Trade secret." George replied.

"Now, get out of here." Fred added.

"Mum's right."

"You've got work in the morning."

Ginny smiled at the twins. She wasn't likely to get anything more out of them. Now was the time to get home and rest. Ginny briefly looked over at the clock. Four fifty-three in the morning. She had maybe two and half hours of possible sleep. Ginny was a full Healer, and yet days like this reminded her strongly of her apprentice years.

* * *

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Ginny rolled over in bed. Slammed her hand down where her alarm clock was supposed to be. Missed three times before hitting the off button. And that's where the resemblance from two days ago ended. 6:01 flashed over at her as Ginny looked at her alarm clock through half opened eyes. She reached under her pillow for her wand, too lazy to reset her alarm clock, and cast a quick spell to get her up in another hour. It was way too early for this...

Seven forty-five saw Ginny fumbling with her lime green healer robes as she made her way into the kitchen.

Ginny bypassed the fridge and abandoned her morning tea for a strong cup of coffee. Only when she was halfway through her second cup did she pop in some bread to be toasted. Ginny stared at nothing as she waited for her morning toast, not bothering to even attempt to make a real breakfast. Having only slept for maybe five hours in the past two days, Ginny was in no state this early in the morning to be working the stove.

More importantly, she didn't have the strength to think of all the events last night. The Fixer… the Reaper… Harry... All that mattered now was that her family was safe. The rest would come, just not right now.

The post arrived just as her toast popped up. Ginny bypassed the Daily Prophet. She no longer needed to look out for news about the Reaper. Ginny knew more than she needed to know about him. Instead she looked at the note from Harvey.

Ginny refilled her cup of coffee before sitting down to read it.

_Ginny,_

_How is everything? I hope work __isn't getting too busy for you. Work for me is just starting to slow. I just settled my new case yesterday, and wanted to celebrate. I tried to floo you last night, but you weren't home. So, I'm apologizing by letter about work the other day. I really would have preferred eating dinner with you, rather than working on that case. I was also hoping dinner tonight would make up for our missed dinner Tuesday. What do you say I pick you up at seven?_

_Love,_

_Harvey_

Dinner tonight?

_…For every day you cut short of my time, will be time I will personally cut short from one member of your family…_

No, she most definitely could not do dinner tonight.

Ginny summoned a quill and some parchment to pen her short reply.

_Harvey,_

_I have to work late tonight._

_Ginny_

It wasn't a lie either. She did have to work late tonight, just not with St. Mungo's. Which reminded her to come home before going to Azkaban tonight. Her mother was sure to be watching the family clock closely. It would most definitely look odd if she went from work to work.

Ginny sent the letter off, finished her coffee and toast, and got up to go to work. She'd have a very busy day ahead whether it was with St. Mungo's or the Ankou Company. Ginny sighed, tilted her head back as she closed her eyes in thought for the day to come. It was going to be one long bloody day...

* * *

"Milord. Lord Nott is here to see you."

"Bring him in Jim. I'm sure you have better things to do, than be here..."

"Of course." Jim bowed out the door as Theodore entered.

Harry did not speak as Theo got comfortable. "He seems more formal and stiff every time I see him."

"The more power I have the more distant and formal he has become. I believe it is his time here as General that has caused this transformation."

"He's become a very important man himself, and yet he knows he's not your equal." Theo tilted his head in understanding, "But, no one really is, my lord."

Harry didn't even bother correcting Theo, when he was level headed he always was deferential to him these days. At least Daphne and Blaise didn't do it when they were alone. Still, that could have to do with something else entirely, and wasn't a matter he cared to go into now.

"So, I've noticed..." Harry paused as if in thought. "I've decided that Jim needs to get out more. So, I'm planning on sending him on a tour of the company very soon now."

"Really? It is your decision of course, but I..."

"Yes, you're right. It is my decision." Harry cut Theo off.

"You're not pleased to see me I take it, my lord?" Theo added the honorific as an afterthought. For someone who was always about respect, he had a very strange way of showing it.

"I find it interesting that my men would go to you, Theo, whenever I make a move." Harry idly toyed with the quill on his desk. "Will you continue this coy attitude, or tell me why you're here?"

"You need not worry about the hierarchy. Daphne told me, not Jim. Unless things have changed so drastically from the last time we talked, I believe this is the way you like it." Theo paused briefly, "So I came over and Jim didn't see a reason not to tell me in detail. So, you don't have to send him away."

"You think I've made a mistake, Theodore?"

"There are other healers who could serve our purpose. I've given you a list every six months for the past two years of the Healers I think are the best candidates. She was not on them for good reason. Yet, you chose her?" Theodore looked away as he continued, "Am I to believe her choice had anything to do with her healing capabilities? What _am_ I to think, Harry?"

"It's not like that, Theo, and you know it. She is remarkable." Harry added with a hint of wonder in his voice. "I gave her an impossible task and she spit it back at me. She should have been on that list two years ago, Theo. So why wasn't she?"

"She was barely a Healer at the time. We needed someone more seasoned. She's still too young." Theo responded.

"No! You've done the research and you should have known how talented Ginny had become, youth or not. I had to spend the last several hours looking up her file myself." The stern look on Harry's face showed how happy he'd been to do it.

"Weasley."

"Pardon?"

"She's still a Weasley. Nothing can change that Harry. She was a blood traitor then, and she's a blood traitor now. Nothing has _changed_."

Harry turned away from Theo, "You've never liked her or my idea."

"It was as foolish a plan then as it is now. You could have never fooled Dumbledore, and you know it."

"Well, I'm not trying too!"

"So, you'll isolate her further, just like then..." Theo shook his head in disappointment. "You weren't thinking with your head, and you aren't now either."

"Enough! I chose who I _will_ or will _not_ have in my empire. I listened to you once before, Theo, but never again! I'm far more powerful than I was in our fourth year. My choices are no longer limited."

"And yet, you're still here..."

"I _chose_ to stay here, Theo. You know that."

Theodore shook his head in disagreement, "You are free in name only. I've spent the last four years trying to change that, and here you are making these plans!" Theo shook his head again, "I'm saying this is a very bad idea. For you and this company. Just..." Theo paused to get his bearings, "Just, tell me how you think this can go well? What do you think she will do when she finds out about your involvement? And Weasley will find out eventually."

"It doesn't matter. An agreement is an agreement. More importantly, I want the _best_. And Theo, she _is_ the best." Harry gave a thin lipped smile, "You realize my organization is now complete, my Generals..."

"It doesn't matter? Do you truly believe that, Harry? Do you think she'll want to be with you after this?" Theo laughed cruelly, "General? She'll _hate_ you. And she'll wish you were _truly_ dead."

Harry looked away from his best mate. "Like I said... I want the best."

"You only gave Lucius access to the Order's pendants and the ward stones, because you thought there was a chance this could happen. If I hadn't given you the information Daphne collected about the Weasley's being Voldemort's target for Hollow's Eve, you'd have _never_ agreed to the exchange. And the only reason this worked was because those idiots used the ward stones too _early_! If they'd done it right, the power of the ward stones would have helped them breakdown the wards surrounding the Burrow faster. The fools wouldn't have needed twenty-four hours. In fact, it would have only taken eight at the most." Theo paused for breath, "You were _lucky_, and Weasley will find this out."

It had been a calculated gamble, but not as big of a gamble as Theo seemed to think. Lucius had come to him several weeks ago for a way to break into the Order's pendants. He'd initially refused for those same reasons. A Hollow's Eve break-in wouldn't have given Ginny enough time to find him, nor could he guarantee that Ginny would be called into work.

More importantly, Harry did not want to get directly involved with the fight between Dumbledore and Voldemort. He was perfectly fine letting them kill each other. Once they'd weakened each other enough, he could come in and clean up the mess. However, at his refusal, Lucius told him the planned attack was on the Weasleys. That alone wouldn't have changed his mind except... Lucius didn't stop there.

Lucius told him everything. Down to the minutest detail. How they were going to use the pendants? When they were going to use them? Why they needed wards to last several days? Wards that would take a high level curse breaker days to break through. Lucius unfolded the whole plan before him. The number of Death Eaters and their given ranks and specialties. More importantly, Lucius told him that Tom had planned to attack multiple places with easy access to Aurors. It would keep the Aurors busy, yet the valiant Order unable to help. And of course, it all depended on his involvement...

It was simply an opportunity he could not pass up.

"Don't be a fool Theo. I would never have done it with the little information Daphne gave you. No, Lucius told me everything. I didn't need any of your information." Harry paused to let that sink in, "I knew they would attack early. I knew they would have additional attacks going on that would involve the Aurors and not the Order. But more importantly, I knew Ginny would not be there." That last part was of course not true, but Theo didn't need to know that.

Theo did not hesitate to reply. "You didn't know she would be able to find you. You gambled with her family's life. For that alone, how do you expect her to forgive you?"

It was true, he'd gambled, but the probability was high, so high... Perhaps Ginny would never forgive him, but he was okay with that. "It was business. Personal feelings were not considered. For if I had, then I'd not have done it at all."

He'd simply hoped for a highly advanced apprentice healer, but what he got was so much more.

Theo got up to leave at Harry's last statement. "I see I'll not be able to convince you otherwise... But, before I go. Just think. If it was business, purely business. Why Weasley? You wanted the best, but you thought she was only an apprentice. I'm not stupid, my lord. I know why you didn't pick a Healer until now. You wouldn't have either, if this opportunity had not landed at your feet. You were going to wait for her to become a full Healer." Theo nodded his head agreeing with himself, "You and I both know it was always going to be her." Theo straightened his robes as he continued, "Business or not."

* * *

AN: First off, big thanks to my beta bkats. He made this thing more understandable. You might not realize it, but I am slightly dyslexic and get similar words confused, a lot. So, my beta does very important work. With that said, bkats, is starting med school soon, which means I'm going to need a second beta to take some of the pressure off of him. I've got plenty of buddies in med school, _and_ one of my lab mates is in the MD/PhD program. So, I know he's not really going to have a life during school. I'd really appreciate the help extra help.

As for this chapter, (1) still don't own HP and (2) told you I'd get it out this week. I always keep my promises. Just don't expect another chapter for another two weeks or so. Could take a little long, since I'm preparing for a big experiment, but I could possibly have a lot of down time. Won't know until I do it. Which pretty much sums up my approach to life... I am, however, looking forward to getting out to the middle game. (I think of writing this story in chess phases...)

Thanks for the reviews. I like to read them when I'm close to posting the next chapter (gives me the strength to finish final edits...), or when my twin bothers me about them...

KJ

PS I had half a mind to post Sunday instead as a b-day present, but that technically wouldn't be this week so...

PSS Wish I would get an update from my twin for _my_ birthday... hint... hint...


	8. Chapter Six: Healer General

**Chapter Six: Healer General**

Slam.

The door shut noisily behind Ginny as she made her way into her modest flat. She was tired, and her stomach ached in hunger. All she wanted to do was order in, take a shower, then go to bed. It didn't even have to be in that order.

The warm water would soothing her aching muscles. Her soft bed, inviting to the touch. And food… warm, delicious food…

Ginny shook herself from her brief fantasy, which, however amazing it sounded, was an impossible dream for tonight. No, right now Ginny needed to get ready for the rest of the evening.

As Ginny headed to her room, she glanced at her bedroom clock trying not to look too longingly at her bed in the process. It was a little after six thirty, which would normally have been time enough to go out to eat with Harvey. In fact, it was extremely rare for Ginny to even be home this early if she wasn't going out to dinner with Harvey. But today was the beginning of a long stream of rare evenings. For the next couple of months, Ginny would be hard pressed to find any time for her boyfriend. With any luck, Harvey wouldn't notice…

Ginny massaged a light headache as she reached her closet to change. She needn't think about Harvey at a time like this. Ginny had more pressing concerns, like this headache for one. It had been bothering her on and off all day. The headache potion she'd taken only hours previously was starting to lose its strength, but she didn't dare take another one this soon for fear of overdosing. Ginny knew just how easy it was to overdose on those things. Still, there were other ways to take an edge off a headache. Food for one, but Ginny didn't really have time for that either.

Instead, Ginny allowed her thoughts to drift to a happier note, or at least semi-happy news. She'd not really wanted to leave work at all. Not after the day she'd had. No, Ginny had just gotten into the flow of writing. Another four hours of undisturbed work would have ironed out that paper. She could have even ordered in something by now too.

The problem with that scenario was the four hours bit. If Ginny had stayed, then the earliest she'd have left St. Mungo's was ten. If she was honest with herself, probably eleven. Ginny could not, would not, show up at Harry's with little more than an hour to the day. No, her paper could keep until tomorrow.

As Ginny changed her robes, she couldn't help reflect on the surprisingly good turn of the day she'd had. Ginny had wrapped up two of the three patients from the spell damage ward. The third was making great progress and she hoped to discharge the Auror tomorrow. Senior Healer McFarland had given her two more from his department, which were also progressing nicely. As for her home department, Ginny had wrapped up all four of her patients and Senior Healer Smethwyck had given her three more.

Well, not right away. No, the main reason Ginny was eager to get back to work had come before Hippocrates had given her the new cases.

* * *

_"Healer Weasley, just the Healer I was looking for." Hippocrates Smethwyck had a tendency to call her by her title when they were not alone._

_"Good morning Senior Healer Smethwyck." Ginny turned from Grace to give her full attention to Hippocrates, "Have another case for me, already?"_

_"A new case with your case load? Not quite. No, I've something better. I want you to consult on another case."_

_"Consult? I didn't know we did that at St. Mungo's." Ginny questioned._

_"It's normally for rare, extremely difficult cases. This, however, is more of a learning experience." Hippocrates looked between her and Grace before he continued, "That is, if you have the time to spare? You've been keeping very busy these days."_

_"Oh, I've time. I'm not nearly as busy as you seem to think. I just need to finish up the paperwork from my last four cases."_

_"The Hallows Eve cases?" At Ginny's nod Hippocrates continued, "I'm surprised you finished already. With that extra work you've been pulling in the spell damage ward, I'd imagine it would take you longer to get those done."_

_"Creature attacks don't vary all that often. They should spend a couple more days on bed rest, but other than that they're good to go. I've just got to finish this last form for Grace." Ginny motioned to Grace and the parchments scattered over Grace's desk._

_"Just one more signature, Healer Weasley." Grace replied as she handed Ginny another roll of parchment. "I'll make sure your follow ups for the afternoon are taken care of as well." _

_"Thank you Grace." Ginny smiled in Grace's direction before she turned to go with Hippocrates. "You're a life saver." Ginny sent over her shoulder seconds later as the two of them were rounding the corner. _

_Ginny looked over at the silent Hippocrates. Her mentor seemed to be deep in thought. So, Ginny gave him a few minutes to gather himself. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. It was highly unusual to consult on cases within the environment that St. Mungo's created. Competition was encouraged, with case completion rate being a high factor in advancement. To ask for a consultation was equated to saying you were incapable of completing the case on your own. _

_Ginny knew this was not the same at all the Magical hospitals around the world. She heard the Americans like to call it 'collaboration'. Despite what the Yanks might call it, Ginny knew that no self-respecting _St. Mungo's_ healer would ask for one. So, Ginny could only stay quiet for so long. Her interest was piqued. Which one of her colleagues needed that much help?_

_"So, which one of my colleagues would like the extra eye?"_

_"I told you Senior Healer Smethwyck, this is an open and shut case." Ginny wasn't the least bit surprised to hear Pye reply as they approached. He looked directly at Hippocrates as if she weren't even there. Pye's complete disregard for her presence was as close as he would get to spitting in her face. Pye was first and foremost a professional, which meant he would never out right insult her. But their relationship was strained. Pye didn't like her at all. He took every opportunity he could to show some insult to her. And it was usually small petty things._

_"Healer Pye." Ginny greeted as if Pye had not been rude._

_"Healer Weasley, I'm afraid you're wasting your time." Pye replied. It was the best greeting she could expect given the circumstances. She, after all, wasn't the healer that needed someone else's help._

_"There is no learning experience which is ever a waste of time, **Healer** Pye. I'd like you to remember that, as it wasn't so long ago when you were first starting out." Hippocrates gave Pye a long hard look before continuing, "Why don't you fill Healer Weasley in on your patient?" The Senior Healer replied in a way that was clearly not a request. _

_Pye replied with reluctance. "Mr. Wilson came in last night with an unknown poisonous magical snake bite that simply refuses to close or heal by magical or muggle means."_

_"Muggle?" Ginny questioned. Most wizards wouldn't bother to try muggle means of healing. Ginny was mildly impressed with Pye, but that quickly changed as he just couldn't seem to help himself with the slight jabs. _

_"Yes, muggle. I've seen a wound like this before, while you were still taking classes at Hogwarts. I've tried to use muggle means to close the wound, but sutures only last for a few hours before dissolving. Simply put, muggle and magical means will not work in this case."_

_"What's Mr. Wilson's status? Is he in danger of the poison?" Ginny replied ignoring Pye's extra comments in favor of the patient's health._

_"The poison is being managed by controlled blood loss." Pye replied stiffly._

_A wound that wouldn't close and the bleeding couldn't be stopped… This reminded her of the wound Harry had inflicted on Jim as her test. Yes, it could work, but it would mean she'd have to share the credit with Pye. Ginny looked over at Pye. Pye reminded her strongly of Percy, except he wasn't as talented and more importantly he wasn't family. Ginny put up with a lot for family. But this would help a patient. There were just too many things that could go wrong with 'controlled' bleeding. Ginny could live with sharing for that. _

_Just as Ginny was about to suggest to Pye her method, Pye decided to take the matter out of her hands. "Like I said, I've seen this before. The only thing to do is to manage the symptoms until all of the poison comes out of the body through bleeding." Ginny let him continue to dig his own grave. This was going to make her look real good, and better yet she'd not have to share the credit._

_"What are you suggesting as treatment, Healer Pye?" Hippocrates asked. _

_"The best and only method of treatment for Mr. Wilson is blood replenishing potions every three to four hours. Followed with twice daily checks on the course of the poison. Once the poison has been neutralized, the wound should close up easily."_

_The Senior Healer nodded his head in agreement before turning to Ginny, "What do you think Healer Weasley?"_

_Ginny wouldn't be blamed for what happened next. "I'll have to disagree with Healer Pye on this one, Senior Healer Smethwyck."_

_"Of course you do, if it's not one case then it's another. Getting first claim on all of the good cases despite your junior position. You might think you're unstoppable, Weasley. But I assure you, this is beyond you level. So, I'll say it again. There is nothing more for us to do for Mr. Wilson. Anything more would only be wasting your, and this hospital's time coming up with a new method to heal Mr. Wilson when nothing exists!"_

_Ginny didn't bother to reply to Pye, he was not the end all on this matter, "Give me Healer Pye's patient with no consultant business, and I'll have the bleeding stopped and the wound on its way to healing within the next hour."_

_"Preposterous!" Pye replied on outrage._

_"Enough Pye." Hippocrates stalled any further arguing, before turning to Ginny to continue, "I only wanted for you to get a look at the patient for more experience. I personally agree with Healer Pye's diagnostic. Not everything has a quick fix, Healer Weasley. It is part of my duty as Senior Healer to make sure our newest Healers understand that." Hippocrates seemed to be talking to Pye more at the last statement. _

_Seeing her opportunity slipping away, Ginny moved to speak, but Hippocrates stopped her mid breath. "Be that as it may, you've a fire in your eyes for which I can't ignore. So, I'll make you both a deal. You may have the patient, Ginny, but if you have to use Pye's method for treatment, then it will go on your record. I cannot have you wasting your time on patients like this. You are not a Trainee Healer."_

_"And for me?" Pye questioned. He had a glee in his voice that he did not try to disguise._

_"Pye, if Ginny uses your method, I'll make sure it gets counted toward your record. In addition, I will give you the next four or five cases that I would have given Healer Weasley." Hippocrates turned to them both before continuing, "Are we agreed?"_

_"Absolutely." Pye replied with a silly grin on his face. _

_Ginny couldn't wait until she wiped it off. "Agreed."_

_"Alright then," Hippocrates replied. Pye took this as his cue to leave. Ginny turned as well. She needed to get to the potions lab. "One minute more, Ginny." Hippocrates stopped her. Ginny turned back to face her mentor. "I'm only giving you this chance because you are a bright and inventive young witch, but I honestly think you are wasting your time with this. I would rather see you channel your energy into more productive uses."_

_"I promise you, I'm not wasting my time." Hippocrates nodded at Ginny's reply, but it was clear in his eyes that he disagreed._

_"Either way, you will learn a lesson here. I fear it will be the hard one. But this shall only be a small bump in your stellar career. That I can promise you."_

_Ginny smiled back at her mentor. "You won't be disappointed, Hippocrates."_

* * *

Ginny had spent little more than thirty minutes in the potions lab of St. Mungo's preparing her ingredients. She'd had half a second of hesitation, before she went to the patient for the first time. Mr. Wilson had been an easy patient, willing to try anything after she'd introduced herself to him. It hadn't taken long to set the wound as she'd done with Jim. Together, they watched the bleeding stop and the wound remain close.

Within forty-five minutes of the bargain, Hippocrates and Pye were both examining her work on Mr. Wilson.

Hippocrates had been singing her praises after that. If Ginny remembered correctly, he had said something along the lines of how 'she was the only Healer at St. Mungo's that could have taken primitive muggle technology and combined it with magic to go beyond their current capabilities'. His words, not hers. Poor Pye had looked pretty bad after that.

Which lead her back to the work she'd had to stop to get home at a reasonable hour, the paper she was going to get out of it.

Grace had only just finished writing up her notes in a more legible fashion. At Hippocrates' suggestion Ginny had just began to write up her work so that it could be submitted to Magic, the premiere magical discovery journal. Although Ginny had already published five case study about healing and creature discovery, not one of them had she even considered publishing in Magic. But Hippocrates had suggested the journal and had given her assurance that even if Magic turned it down a lesser journal would pick it up.

Either way, it would give her six papers. Ginny had planned for her novel mind healing technique to be her sixth for the year, if the results worked out. But now it would likely be her seventh. That didn't even take into account her double work load with working in the Spell Damage ward as well. With the two departments, Ginny expected to have the opportunity to work on more interesting patients and put out more papers.

Add on her work with Harry, who was bound to give her the most challenging cases yet… Ginny had no problem believing that she'd easily beat her two paper a year record. A record that more than pleased her mentor, since most Healers in their department would be lucky to average about one paper a year. Pye was a good example with a total of only six papers in his eight years as a full Healer.

Of course, that was the average for the Creature Induced Injury department. Spell Damage expected more from their Healers with good reason, as they got the most interesting patients. Ginny couldn't help but think about the possibility of her ending the year with ten papers to her name…

Ginny had to forcible push back her thoughts on her rising success, as she pulled on some plain blue robes. She might even remember to thank Harry for his part in her latest success.

As Ginny moved to the main room, her stomach growled. She was hungry and there was no getting around it. Ginny was thankful to have Grace. Finding little snacks in her binder was a life saver, but Grace had also let her sleep through her lunch break. Two hours of dreamless sleep had helped her get through the rest of that day, but it did not fill the void in her stomach.

Ginny looked longingly at her fridge, despite the fact that she knew it was empty. She might have enough for another toasted cheese sandwich… Ginny looked over at the clock, six forty-seven. She didn't have time to cook, not if she wanted to be back home by nine. Besides, it wouldn't hurt her to go without for another two or so hours. She'd just have to remember to stop by Grimmauld place afterwards. Her mum would cook her a feast, while she snacked on whatever was in the cupboard.

With those thoughts in mind, Ginny took out the talisman Jim had given her before she'd left.

Ginny had to call it a talisman, as that was the closest thing to the item in appearance. She could tell it wasn't really a pendant, even if she'd wanted to fashion it as one the look just didn't match. It was squarer in shape unlike either the Healer or Order pendants. The color itself wasn't anything to write home about either. It wasn't silver or black, but a dull dung gray. Not exactly butt ugly in color, but it wasn't striking in appearance either. It was plain and unremarkable at best.

The surface was just as plain. No real engravings, nothing disguisable on its surface. It would have blended in well with a pile of her own coins. In fact, it could have easily gotten lost if she'd placed it with them.

Completely forgettable and unremarkable talisman. Ginny supposed that was the point, unlike her Healer pendant, that had the healer symbols, or the Order of the Phoenix pendant that could grow with the image of the next meeting, both of which stood out when they needed too.

The only marking of note was a slight red tint on one side of the coin-like object. It could only be seen at an angle up to the light, but if you looked hard enough it was there. Ginny wrapped her hand tightly around the talisman in thought. She wasn't going to have to worry about anyone, from the Order or otherwise, taking notice of her little new token.

As Ginny held the talisman, she couldn't help wondering why they'd not just made it a portkey. Instead, she was holding a direct apparition site that was tied down to an object. An object you carried… Ginny wasn't even sure this could or would work. But if Harry had wanted her dead, he'd not have gone through all the trouble to give her a weird portkey/apparition talisman. There were _way_ easier methods to kill someone. More importantly, he'd not have wasted his time to save her family.

It was with that pep talk in mind that Ginny closed her eyes and apparated away. She didn't die on impact. But it sure didn't feel like any apparition she'd ever done. It didn't even feel like a portkey. If Ginny had to classify the sensation, she describe it as somewhere in between a portkey and apparition. And yet, very different from either one.

Ginny could dissect this new method of transportation later. Now, she needed to get going. As she stood up straight, Ginny couldn't stop herself from briefly wondered if it was even possible to track this method of magical transportation. She shook her head in confusion. Harry had surely changed. Ginny just didn't remember him ever being this paranoid.

* * *

As Ginny's senses started to return, a dull noises came to her ears. She looked around at her surroundings, not recognizing the origin of the sound.

The first thing she noticed was the tinted viewer. Ginny touched her hand on the glass, and watched as magic rippled across it. Runes she didn't recognize appeared for a split second at the place she touched the glass. Ginny looked through the glass, to see the strangest sight she'd ever seen in a wizarding setting.

In the center were small groups of men and women (mostly men) following one leader doing strange motions. Around the room there were bars of all types. High bars, bars attacked to the wall, low bars, bars sitting on a high rack and the same bars sitting on lower racks over weird looking sits. On most of the bars and scattered across the room were circular black things for which Ginny vaguely remembered reading something about them in her Muggle Study's class. What Ginny definitely didn't remember from her Muggle Study's class was the weird contraption that had men and women running on them. In fact, they weren't just running on those weird contraption, but also around the track that surrounded the atrium. Ginny stared at a group that ran right passed her. No one even glanced her way.

Ginny slowly walked toward the exit. Looking past the center group to the far side of the atrium, she could just make out rooms. In the far right were several groups that were clearly working on dueling, some with swords, and some working on normal dueling.

Movement above her caught her eye, causing Ginny to look up to see a second floor with more of the same on it. This was the biggest training room, she had ever seen. And Ginny had seen the Auror training facility. More importantly, was that Ginny didn't remember passing a room like this. This was not something that could have been easily over looked either. If Ginny had to guess, she'd say this had to be one of the halls she'd passed before going down the tunnel to Anaon. But which one?

Ginny continued to move slowly to the exit, as she watched the activities going on in the other room. It became clearly that despite her being able to see them working out, they apparently couldn't see her. Whatever the runes were must have been the cause of that effect.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Ginny turned her head toward the door at the sound of the soft tapping noise of shoes to ground brought Ginny out of her observations. She would have plenty of time to observe the atrium another day if this was the only room for direct apparition. Now, her welcome party seemed to be here.

"Jim." Jim made a face that clearly said he didn't care for her familiarity, but Ginny ignored it. It was just hard to take him seriously after the 'let me tie your shoes', bit, "How's your arm?"

At her question, Jim's face turned back to a neutral expression. For whatever reason, he clearly didn't like her. That was fine with Ginny, as she wasn't here to make friends.

After a moment, Jim seemed to find his manners, "It's fine, Healer Weasley." He turned to the exit and held his hand out in front of him, "Please, come this way."

Ginny nodded and followed him out. Once they stepped out of the narrow hall, Ginny was surprised to see it merge with another much larger hall. She could hear the sounds of straining voices and the clank of metal meeting metal that had been absent behind the glass wall. Ginny was sorely tempted to ask Jim about the atrium, but his long powerful strides didn't leave much room for the opportunity. She'd just have to remember to ask about it later.

They stepped out of a corridor and appeared to the left of the guard station. Her previous thoughts were correct. This was one of the halls within Azkaban she'd seen yesterday. Across from her was another corridor. So, if this was some type of training room, then the hall across would be… There was no point in speculating. Not when she had a guide. "Jim, what's down that corridor?"

Given the fact that he wasn't all that fond of her, Ginny had no guarantee he'd answer. But Jim surprised her, "The kitchen." Jim turned on his heel and led the way to the tunnel entrance, "You will not need to go there. Now, come this way. There is much we must do before you get started."

That was more of an answer than she'd thought she'd get. Ginny looked longingly at the kitchen. What she wouldn't do for a quick snack. Stay strong Weasley. Stay strong.

Unlike yesterday, Ginny did not stay one step behind Jim. Walking side-by-side, they passed several Ankou members. Each one stopped what they were doing to give some type of salute to Jim. It was hard for Ginny to see this man as a General. Not after she'd seen how deferential he was to Harry. Still, the men and women of Ankou Company had a seriousness in their face, in their whole body that not even the twins could have faked.

Perhaps Jim was two different people. General to these men and women, and a loyal servant to Harry. Deferential to a fault. As they passed the group, Ginny realized they had a great view of her hair and face. She briefly wondered if she should have worn a robe with a hood to cover those features. However, one look at Jim reminded her that if she had needed one, then Jim would have supplied it. He would do anything for Harry's well-being, Ginny was sure of it. He may not have like her all that much, but he was a loyal servant to Harry.

Once on the first landing, twenty or thirty people all moved out of their way and saluted in one swift motion. It was impressive. At one moment, they were talking among themselves, but as soon as she and Jim had stepped fully onto the platform to group had moved. The group seemed to move as one to the wall and bring their arms up in a very impressive looking salute. Despite this, Jim didn't even acknowledge their presence.

Ginny took a hard look at the man, not sure if he was always like this with his men or if he were trying to impress her. Ginny gave a soft sigh as she looked away from Jim. She just didn't have anything to compare his reaction with, since no one had been in the halls yesterday. There was no point in trying to read Jim motives either. Instead, paid attention to her surroundings. Throughout the tunnel, the bathroom and game room platforms, the scene played out over and over again.

It wasn't until they were passed the game room platform, when the halls started to look more like the day before. The spiral pathway was as deserted as yesterday. No one lingered here which made the long silent walk extremely awkward.

As they reached the fourth platform, Ginny walked confidently onward to Anaon and Harry.

"This way Healer Weasley."

Ginny stopped suddenly. Jim was not beside her. Instead, he was behind her standing in front of corridor to her right. "I thought we were going to see Harry?"

"We shall not be bothering the boss today. He has told me everything you will need to know for today. But first, there are things we must attend to." Jim pointed down the empty corridor. "If you will."

As Ginny passed Jim down the corridor, the three silver and green doors became clearer. On closer inspection, the doors were indeed in the Slytherin style with snake handle bars and a strong pull of green. It reminded her strongly of Harry. "Will I have all three of these rooms to work with?" Ginny turned to ask Jim, who she found studying her.

At her question, Jim moved to the door to the right. "Hardly." He then opened the door revealing a room that was a very far cry from her St. Mungo's office or patient rooms. It looked more like a very large flat. "This will be your flat for your time here."

Ginny entered slowly, looking carefully around. It was huge. The size of two or three of her own flat put together. The entry way opened up to a comfortable looking sitting room with a… "Is that a working fireplace?"

"It is not simply for decoration." Jim replied sarcastically.

Ginny snorted at Jim's remark, "We're tens of kilometers underground, and you're telling me _this_ is a working fireplace?"

"Are you unfamiliar with the concept of magic?" Jim's replied harshly.

"Don't insult me, Jim." Ginny said coldly, "The amount of magic involved would be extremely costly. And if this room is anything like the other five…" Ginny was making a reasonable guess that the other corridor held the same thing as this, from Jim's expression she was correct. "The amount involved…"

"_My_ Lord spares no expense." Jim replied as he turned to wave a hand around the flat before he continued, "Despite my protest, he has assigned you these apartments. Across from you, I have been made available to you. Next to you is where Danny sleeps, when he sleeps here that is. I will now give you a tour of the place. I will have you keep in mind, that _my_ Lord is extremely generous. So please, no more… stupid questions."

"You'll have to forgive me, if the concept of a dead man having money is still warming up to me." Ginny bit back her next words. Control your temper Weasley. "Excuse me, Jim. We will be working together for some time. Let's try to get along."

"Get this Weasley, for I will only say it once. My loyalty to _my_ Lord is unwavering. I will protect him from all those who try to hurt him, be it physically or emotionally. As of now, I do not trust you. Your loyalties are unknown to me, and I do not treat kindly to those who are not loyal to _my_ Lord. But the boss trusts you. And for now, that's all that matters. Do not give me reason for that to change."

Ginny looked at the old man. His eyes shone with a fire that spoke to her. Harry need not worry about his loyalty, ever. It also had not escaped her of Jim's emphasis on 'my Lord'. He clearly saw them on different sides, and wasn't sure if his Lord was the same Lord she served. More importantly, words would not show her loyalty to Harry.

Ginny was well aware that she could never think of Harry as her Lord, but that was because she served no man. She'd tried that once, following the lead of another, and it hadn't ended well for her. Even so, if there was one other person who would not betray Harry, it was her. But it would take time for Jim to see that loyalty was not just about unquestioning service. Ginny had ten years of time…

"I understand. Please continue, Jim." Jim gave a small one sided frown at her continued use of his first name, before he moved to show her the place.

"There are two bathroom. A guest bathroom down this hall." Jim moved down the hall to her right, "Across from the bathroom, is a training room." Ginny looked in briefly, but didn't have much time to look around as Jim was already moving back to the main room. "Behind us, milord has instructed another room to be added for a library and study. It shall be here within the month. As of now, the sitting room will have to double as a study."

"How will you expand the place? We must be surrounded by solid rock." Ginny paused at one of the bookshelves in her sitting room.

"The Goblin's have been notified of the modifications they need to do for this room."

Ginny nodded before starting to move away from the bookshelf. But a book caught her eyes, so Ginny turned back and picked it up, "Ars Medicina…" Impossible, this was one of the rarest book on healing arts. There was said to only be two copies left, one still in Alexandra and the other missing.

Ginny started to open the book, but Jim stopped her with a word, "We've more to do today. You should have plenty of time when _off duty_ to improve your abilities with these books."

Ginny reluctantly put the book down. Idly wondering what other gems were on her innocent looking bookshelves.

Jim passed the dining room to a kitchen. "Your kitchen is fully stocked." Jim opened a cabinet in demonstration revealing dry good foods loading down the selves. "You can make whatever you want. If there is something missing, a rare ingredient or the like, simply write it down and place it here." Jim lightly touched a square spot on the counter that rippled with magic revealing runes, transportation runes to be exact.

It was a simple rune that Ginny recognized from her Ancient Runes class, but from the look of it the runes were not likely to go very far.

"If you are not in the mood to make anything to eat, then simply lay your hand on the bottom right hand section of the rune. The house special will appear." Ginny was a little disappointed when Jim didn't demonstrate, but continued to speech instead. "If you want something made that is not the house special, then you will need to give several hours' notice before hand, as Davies is not here to cater to your every whim. All requests use this platform."

As Jim moved out of the kitchen, Ginny opened the cabinet Jim had first opened and pulled down some trail mix. Why work on an empty stomach, when you didn't have too? Jim gave her a dirty look, so Ginny decided not to also call for some room service. She'd get instantaneous room service after work, and see her mother at Grimmauld Place after eating. Ginny still needed lunch for tomorrow after all…

Jim moved to the last room, which was clearly her master bedroom. It was the size of two of her own bedrooms with a queen size four poster bed decorated in the Slytherin colors. Ginny smiled as she took in the room. Ron would have hated this place. "Attached is the second bathroom. I've had one of our female members fully stock it with the appropriate toiletries." Ginny was just going to have to take his word for it at the moment. She really didn't expect to need the 'appropriate toiletries' all that much while here.

Jim moved on to a closed door and opened it to reveal a walk in closet. "Within you will find every day robes and several St. Mungo's Healer robes. But, most importantly," Jim pulled out the garment bag closest to him, "your uniform." Ginny accepted the robes as Jim moved to leave. "I'll wait while you change."

Ginny waited for the door to shut fully, before she pulled the robes out of the garment bag. She had expected the gray muggle style uniform like the Ankou member's she had become so familiar with. Instead, within the bag held robes. Real robes. But they were not gray. The robes were mostly white with green highlights. The green was not a lime green like her St. Mungo's robes, but a true green similar to the Slytherin colors. Ginny turned the robes around to find a bone and wand cross similar to her healer robes. But unlike her healer robes, there was a large scythe in between the bone and wand cross. It drew the eye in a way the bone and wand cross could not.

As Ginny changed into the new robes, she noticed that her shoulder held a symbol that looked similar to Jim's symbol. On closer inspection, it looked to be in the shape of a silver diamond. However, she seemed to have two of the diamonds on her red shoulder cloth, while Jim had only one. She wondered if that meant anything, but dismissed the thought. She was a healer and that's all that mattered.

Dressed in her new uniform, Ginny opened her bedroom door to find Jim waiting. "To Anaon, I presume?" Ginny questioned.

"To Anaon."

* * *

As Ginny passed Harry's room, she could hear him in deep discussion with a male voice. "The werewolf company is ready to integrate…" The male voice trailed off as they passed the room.

They stopped in front of the last doorway on the left.

Jim entered first without looking to make sure she was behind him. "This is where you will be working."

Ginny looked around and immediately spotted the twenty something year old woman in an Ankou Company uniform. Unlike the normal uniform, she had a patch on her chest that looked like the image on Ginny's back.

"This will be your assistant."

"First Lieutenant Bryony Owen reporting for duty, ma'am!" Owen saluted her.

"Parade rest, Lieutenant." Jim replied.

The First Lieutenant hesitated for a moment. Looking confusingly over at Ginny before slowly relaxing her stance.

Ginny looked behind the First Lieutenant. She would have plenty of time to speak with Owen, she was sure. The room had an operating bed, and some shelves that probably held her healing equipment.

Ginny moved over to examine them. Pepper up and blood replenishing potions lined the cabinet. But it was mostly empty.

"I except you will fill the space with what you need. Any questions?" Jim didn't wait for her to reply, "No, then I shall take me leave. I'll be back in an hour while you settle yourself in. We shall begin then."

An hour? Was he crazy? "Excuse me?" Ginny asked as politely as she could, given her current options.

"What is it?" Owen looked worriedly between the two. Ginny was wearing thin with his attitude, especially when it came to her profession.

"You can't be serious." Ginny motioned to the mostly empty cabinets and Owen.

"Milord has generously offered the use of his potions lab. I'm more than positive that with Lieutenant Owen's help, you can have this facility up in running in no time."

Ginny looked at Jim as if he was crazy, which caused Jim to look hesitant. "No offense to Lieutenant Owen, but I can't work with just this. No serious medical professional could."

"That is not my problem. This is what milord has given you. This is what you will work with. That was your _bargain_." The tension that he put on the last word did not go unnoticed by anyone in that room, but Ginny ignored it for now. She had more pressing concerns, than Jim's feelings. There was no way she could do anything serious or non-serious in this room. Shoot, even Madam Pomfrey had a better facility then this!

Still, one look at Jim told her that arguing with him would be a waste of the next two hours. And in the end, it was unlikely to convince him. Some old dogs just couldn't be reasoned with.

But he was not the end all. Ginny would just need to go to the source, and screw whoever Harry was talking to. If Harry was going to try to screw her over like this, then she'd make him regret it.

Ginny walked right passed Jim on her way out. There was a man she needed to see…

"Where in the world do you think you're going!? You've got work to do." Jim shouted after her, while Lieutenant Owen stood rooted to the ground completely confused.

* * *

"Blaise, I'm telling you it's for his own good. Besides, haven't you been telling me you need more help out there?" Harry spoke to the image of Blaise over his viewing portal.

"Help? Sure, but Jim? He's your left hand man down there, Harry. Theo can't be there nearly as often or as long as he can. If you have to send anyone, then send Daphne." Blaise head and upper body replied.

"I don't need a minder, Blaise. I can change my own clothes just fine."

"Yes, but who will look out for your Azkaban troops? Who will keep your spy network going? Both Jim and Danny being over here seems a little extreme." Blaise paused looking over at nothing before he turned around and continued. "Look Theo said you were a little upset with him over the Healer thing, but taking it out on Jim…"

"I'm not taking anything out on Jim. It's time to move on to the next phase. And we can't do that if I don't know the state of the troops outside of Britain. I trust only Jim for that."

"What about Danny? I don't see why you have to have both of them out of the country."

"They work better together. I want to keep it that way. Besides, Danny can really expand his spy network in a way that he can't do in the country." Harry paused to take a breath. Some times it was refreshing when his people didn't just do what he told them to do without independent thought. But when Theo, Daphne and Blaise were all saying the same thing, it was starting to get old. "Look, Blaise. It will only be for two months. Somehow, I think I can manage without them for two months."

"Alright, but…" Blaise was interrupted mid-sentence.

"You're kidding me, right? You can't possible think I can do anything with _one_ assistant and no supplies!"

Harry was surprised to see Ginny of all people interrupting him.

"Ha, ha, haaa!" Blaise laughing could be heard over the portal causing both Harry and Ginny to turn to Blaise's two dimensional face. "I see you have your hands full with your new healer. Be careful, Harry the Weasleys' are an extremely feisty lot."

"I'll talk to you later Blaise." Harry replied as he turned the portal off. He sighed deeply before turning to face the still fuming red-head. "Can I help you Ginny?"

"Can you help me!? You can start by not insulting me with this token help." Ginny pointed behind her. Harry could only assume she was talking about Lieutenant Owen and not Jim, who appeared behind her.

"I'm sorry milord. I told her to work with what we gave her, but she clearly doesn't seem to listen…"

"Jim," Harry interrupted whatever Jim was about to continue to say, "you know you shouldn't be giving Ginny any type of orders. That's precisely why I made her a two star general, and not a one star general like yourself." Harry had not wanted Jim to take advantage of his new healer, so that she could work to her full potential without any limiting factors. But from the sounds of things, his plan had not gone accordingly.

"A what?" Ginny question having lost her anger at realizing that Harry had not purposefully undermined her.

Harry looked down in frustration as he pinched his forehead in concentration. "Am I to understand that Jim didn't tell you about your rank?" Harry looked over at Jim, but he would not met his eyes.

"My rank? I thought I was your healer. What does that have to do with rank?"

"This is an organization that must work within a structured hierarchy, which Jim should have explained to you." Harry looked over at Jim, before he continued, "Your title is Healer General, and your rank is Major General."

Harry waved his hand in Jim direction, "Jim is a Brigadier General, which is the rank below you, As opposed to Lieutenant General, the rank of Blaise, Daphne and Theo." Harry paused in thought.

"He forgot to mention it." Ginny said as she gave a side long look at the man, "But that is beside the point. Even if he'd told me about it that wouldn't change the situation. I am an amazing healer, but even I need supplies and man power to perform at my best. I can't even make the necessary basic potions with just two people."

"Are there no tricks you can teach Owen to help with the process?" Harry questioned.

"Do you have an organization of more than 500?"

"Yes."

"Not a chance." Ginny sighed before continuing, "Let me give you an idea of how St. Mungo's runs their potions labs. Each apprentice year has a list of potion hours to complete, 5500 hours total or 687.5 hours per year to be exact. If each class has on average twelve apprentice and there's eight years to complete an apprenticeship. That nearly sixty-six thousand hours of potions making a year. And you want me to do that with two people…"

Harry looked Ginny over. He'd not realized how much work was needed to sustain a company. But he could not afford to spare nearly one hundred of his soldiers a year. "I can't give you nearly a hundred of my men, Ginny."

"I'm not asking for a hundred. Not right now anyway. You company would only need a quarter of that to work at full capacity."

Harry nodded, "I'll see what I can do."

But Ginny was shaking her head in response, "No, Harry you don't understand. That's what you need to sustain potion storage. I'll need four times that amount to get this place up in running in two months."

"You can't even make some of the more complicated potions in two months." Harry replied. He knew his potions very well. Harry just wasn't sure what type of potions Healers normally used.

"We can buy those to start with and have several batches brewing to replenish our supplies."

"I can't give you that many, Ginny." Harry paused in thought. Ginny needed man power. But there was something bothering him, "How did you manage fifty-five hundred hours of potion making in three years?"

"I didn't. I finished my required hours in less than one. I had a lot of free time, and…" Ginny paused, "That could work."

"What?" Harry questioned. He was impressed. Harry's research had not pulled that fact up.

"I managed to finish that fast because I used the 'per potion' rule to cut out some hours. If I teach enough people, say six or eight, they can lead a group in how to brew the potions faster. I might be able to get away with twenty-four."

"I can do that. Jim, find our best potions brewers. Anyone who got an E or O on their potions NEWTs. We'll set up a rotation of temporary potions makers, but you, Ginny, are only to teach Owen. Owen will teach the rest."

"I understand milord. I'll get right on that." Jim replied as he bowed to leave the room.

"And Jim, we'll have some words later." Harry stopped Jim's exit.

"Of course, milord." Jim replied softly as he left.

"You shouldn't be so hard on him. He's just very loyal to you." Ginny replied softly.

"Oh? So, loyal that he would disregard my orders?" Harry questioned. He was surprised that Ginny would care what happened with Jim seeing as Jim had not been kind to her.

"He doesn't trust me, but Jim will get better with time."

Harry stood in response. "I'll think about it. Now, we need to get back to your arrangements."

Ginny nodded in understanding as they walked out of Harry's room. "I'll need a bigger place to have the potions brewing. You're potions lab just isn't big enough." Ginny replied as they passed her new work room. Owen looking awkwardly out at them. "Where are we going?" Ginny asked as she pointed behind them.

"You didn't think this was all of Anaon, did you?" Harry said with a small smile on his lips. Harry opened the door to reveal a cavern. "How's this for a bigger room?"

Harry watched Ginny's face as she looked around in wonder. "What is this place?"

"This is where the dementors lived. Procreation and the like. The true heart of Anaon." Harry replied as he looked out at the cavern as well. It was refreshing to see his world in new eyes. The stalagmite and stalactites shone in different colors from the torchlight that touched it from weird angles. The small underground lake rippled with the colors and faint light. Glow moss giving its own special colors to the stone and lake around.

"It's so large, and so beautiful. Not a place I'd imagine dementors would live…" Ginny looked around for several minutes taking it all in, and Harry let her.

This place didn't have the same meaning to her as it did to him. And yet… He sensed a sadness to her expression mixed in with the amazement. Ginny turned to him quickly her mouth opened, waiting to voice a question that never came. Instead her eyes softened, and that look he couldn't place came to her eyes. Harry turned away.

"What happened to the dementors?" Ginny asked into the silence.

"I killed them. Now, I use it as a place to think." Harry looked around. "As you've said, your office is not large enough to house what you seem to need, nor is my potions lab. So, you will use this. I'll have someone set it up to house brewing stations. How will you want them?"

"I can't just organize them when they get here?" Ginny questioned.

Harry turned to look at her as he answered. "The only Ankou members with high enough clearance to meet you are those housed in Azkaban. But they have many duties, and I will not waste their time with something so mundane. I'll have Danny call in the lower ranked members to set it up while, Jim goes through his records for the members with the appropriate credentials. They'll get a promotion and this will be added into their rotations."

Ginny nodded her head in understanding before stopping herself, "Wait. If not all of the members can meet me, then how am I supposed to treat them? I can't have Owen do that. She's not been trained."

"Jim didn't tell you?" Harry turned to Ginny in shock, Jim could not have been this neglectful. But one look from Ginny confirmed it. He would be having words with Jim, indeed.

Harry sighed but that was for later. Now, it seemed he needed to give Ginny the proper tour. "Come. I'll explain on the way to your office." Harry lead Ginny out of the cavern as he continued, "I placed new runes on your office, so that any who apparate in will see what I want them to see. They will only know you as Healer General." Harry stopped right outside of the doorway and pointed to the four corners. "I've also added a one-way viewer tied to the same wards." Harry gentle tapped a rune on the right side of the doorway and watched as the glass viewer came down. Lieutenant Owen stood stiffly at attention on the other side.

"Why does it look like Bryony can still see us?" Ginny questioned.

"Because she can. It only works on those who apparate into the room. Thus, you will not be going to them, but they will be coming to you." Harry looked over at Ginny in question, "Did you not question the apparition point in your room?"

"I didn't really have time to look around. I was more concerned about the lack of equipment." Ginny replied as she touched the rune causing the glass viewer to slide back up.

"Anyway, make a list of what you need and how you want it. I'd spend the rest of the day teaching Lieutenant Owen, here, some of your tricks. We'll have the potion stations set up and started by the weekend at the latest." Harry moved to leave but paused to ask Ginny another question. "Will you be coming in at this time every day?"

"As close to it as I can, it all depends on what's happening at St. Mungo's. On the weekend, it could vary. Especial on Sundays."

"Why? What's happening on Sunday?"

"Sunday is family dinner at the Weasley's." Ginny smiled over at him. "I'll make sure to get here, you needn't worry." With that, Harry watched as Ginny walked into the room to speak with Owen. "Hello Bryony. I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself properly…"

Harry stood there for several more minutes watching as Ginny introduced herself and got Owen to open up to her. It was fascinating to see Ginny in her element. Harry might have stayed longer but he really did have work to do. Jim's arrangements weren't going to fix themselves.

Harry settled back onto his bed ready to call up Blaise again, but stopped and instead placed his hand on his summoning runes.

"My Lord?"

"Yes, Davies." Harry started but before he could continue Davies was already talking.

"Ah, milord. I've got a snack ready for you. I'll send it up right away."

"No, Davies. I don't want a snack right now." Before Harry could tell him what he wanted, Davies was speaking again.

"Was dinner to your liking, sir?" Davies questioned shakily.

"Yes, dinner was lovely." Harry replied, and got no farther than that as Davies continued.

"Then how can I help you sir?"

Finally. "I want you to make sure that one of your amazing dinners is waiting for the Healer General, Davies."

"Is that the new room, sir? Next to Danny's?"

"Yes, the new room."

"I'll have it there waiting for her as soon as she enters, sir."

"Thank you, Davies." Harry didn't wait for Davies to reply before he took his hand off the summoning rune. He loved Davies' cooking, but the man did not know how to shut up and listen, which was why he normally let Jim handle Davies.

Speaking of Jim. Harry turned back to the portal, so that he could continue making Jim's arrangements. If Jim was going to act like this, then he needed some time way, and soon.

Blaise's head and shoulders reappeared in the portal almost instantly. "You back already, Harry. Thought it might take longer…"

* * *

Severus Snape walking down the dark halls of the Riddle Manor. His destination was a familiar one, even if the circumstances were not. The Dark Lord was a cruel and unforgiving master, and when he called to see you outside of a regular meeting setting, it was unlikely to be for praise. The likelihood that he would come out of this alive was slim, very slim. Severus was finally about to meet his end. And for what? He had nothing left.

Severus had traded it all for promised power in his youth. He'd been young and foolish to give up the one thing that meant more than life to him. Severus' biggest regret was that he'd not realized it sooner. But that was a life, long past, that could not be changed through any magic. Lily was dead, and Severus had long come to terms with his part in making it happen.

In his repentance, Severus had sworn his allegiance to Dumbledore to save Lily, and when that failed, he'd dedicated his life to protect her son.

Severus had assumed that task would contain mostly of him watching from afar and making sure his Slytherins didn't take things too far. But somehow Lily's son had ended up in his house. It should have been impossible really, a mistake… But the boy had wanted to be in Slytherin with his new found friends. So, Severus had taken it upon himself to make sure he didn't embarrass his house.

It had been a transformation throughout the following years. And not just for the boy. Severus watched himself grow with regards to Harry. He remembered seeing Potter's son standing there mocking him. Severus had been hard on him to make sure he did not also act like the man. Harry had risen to every task he set, be it his uniform or his studies. By the start of the spring semester of the boy's first year, Severus had seen Lily in him… And Lily's son was someone he could live with, someone he could teach.

To this day, Severus was sure that Potter's son would have never become a Slytherin. The arrogant toe-rag would never have allowed such a thing. However, it soon became apparent that the boy was not really Lily's son either… Harry may have looked like James, been studious like Lily, but he was neither Lily nor James. Harry was simply Harry. An individual completely different from either of his parents in his actions and his words.

By the end of Harry's second year, Severus had put more thought and effort in the boy than anyone else. It had not even occurred to him how he was acting, or why he chose to do certain things for young Harry. At least not until that fateful day… He'd realized then that he'd been more a father to Harry than anyone else. Especially Black.

Severus had grown to see Harry as his own son. He was no fool, he'd never done anything with Lily that would have led to Harry. Still, fatherhood was more than blood. Severus knew that better than anyone. If only he'd realized it sooner… taken the boy in, protected him from Black…

No, he could not blame Black completely for his own personal failings. Severus had failed Harry, when he'd needed him the most. Just as he'd failed to protect Lily. It was as if his life was cursed to fail the ones he loved.

Severus kept reviewing what he should have, could have, done better in his sleepless nights. If Severus had known the extent of Harry and Ginny's relationship, he would have tried harder to get the girl in that courtroom. Severus knew he could have done it as well. A talk with Molly and Arthur playing the relationship and what it would do to little Ginny. And if that hadn't worked, Severus could have gone to Ginny directly.

If she'd been able to testify, then Black's statements would have been given a lesser weight. Severus might have even been able to coach her into downplaying Dumbledore before the man had even spoken. But that was all wishful thinking. He had stopped at Molly, and without her or Arthur's consent, Severus had not been able to get Ginny to testify. In fact, Molly had gone out of her way to make sure Ginny didn't testify. As far as he'd known, she'd been kept in the dark about the trial during and several weeks after it had occurred.

Severus knew he was to blame for that failing as well. Harry had made their relationship seem nothing more than an 'I saved you, so now we kind-of talk every once in a while' kind of thing. Severus had not paid much attention to it either when Harry had been in Hogwarts. The foolish boy must have assumed that he'd not approved of their relationship. And, yet that knowledge probably could have saved him…

Severus had to find out well after the trial from Tonks no less about the relationship. By then, it had been far too late. It had also been the first time he'd ever cursed himself for leaving the Yule Ball early.

Severus' frustration had nearly ended him. Once Harry had been sentenced to Anaon, he'd had nothing left to protect. His life had been over for a second time. Dumbledore somehow managed to talk him into living. 'To stay with the Order in Lily's stead. Because that's what she would have wanted…' Severus was also sure that she would have wanted her baby boy to live.

It was little things like that which made him question whether it was still worth it to be a part of the Order. But what else would he do with his life?

He despised Voldemort for killing Lily. Yet, he couldn't trust Dumbledore after he'd sent Harry to die. Severus was sure as soon as he was of no more use to Dumbledore, then he too would be sent to certain death. And unlike Lily or Harry, he might even deserve it. But who was Dumbledore to cast sentencing? More importantly, Severus wasn't quite ready to reunited with those long past.

Recently, Severus had noticed that the Reaper was the most likely candidate to make sure his untimely death was not anytime soon. Severus had been keeping an eye out for him. In fact, Severus was sure that Lucius knew more than he was letting on with regards to the Reaper, as did Ginny.

Severus had a second sense for deception, which was why he was sure Lucius was holding back information. He had been for some time. But after the latest attack, Severus knew the information Lucius was holding back had to do with the Reaper. While Lucius had not lied to the Dark Lord about the attack. 'A source told him the Reaper was coming', he had not told the complete truth. He'd been planning to corner Lucius about his 'source' as soon as the opportunity arrived.

As for Ginny, she hadn't lied, at least not outright. Everything she said was true on some level. He'd sensed that, but she had not told the truth. It was a nuance that Dumbledore seemed to fail to pick up on. As for the twins, Severus was sure they had outright lied. He also knew that Dumbledore would never have been able to pick up on that type of lie. No, Severus was using his experience with the devils. If they were looking you in the eye, then they were probably lying to you. Severus had based their whole punishments at Hogwarts on that principle. He'd had too, since he'd not been able to read their thoughts the last couple of years they had been at Hogwarts.

Severus looked on stonily at the gloomy double doors in front of him. Whatever they did or didn't know was of little use to him now… Not with this meeting. There were very few reasons to get called to see the Dark Lord outside of the group meetings. This was not likely to be good for his health.

"Ah, Severus you've finally arrived." The Dark Lord spoke at his arrival. It was a far friendlier greeting then Severus had been expecting.

"I came as soon as I could, my Lord." Severus bowed in greeting. The Dark Lord motioned with his hand for Severus to stand. As he moved to stand, Severus took a quick look around. He'd never been so glad to meet the six out of seven icy glares of the Dark Lord's inner circle.

"Now that Snape's finally decide to grace us with his presence, milord, please go on." Rabastan Lestrange spoke coldly.

"Crucio!" The Dark Lord held Lestrange under the curse for several seconds as they all listened to his screams of pain. "Anyone else want to tell me what to do?" The Dark Lord asked as he looked around at his followers. Lestrange shakily stood up as the Dark Lord turned his attention back to Severus. Severus wasn't sure he cared for the focus. "Severus, I wanted you to be here for this. The Reaper has finally gone too far. He has chosen to help the Order. Something he has never done before. Of every little thorn he has pricked me with, this is the one I will not tolerate."

"What do you suggest I do, milord?"

"Information for one. Does Dumbledore know why the Reaper has chosen to help them? What has changed? Are the Order working directly with him now?" The Dark Lord attack Severus with questions.

"To my knowledge, Dumbledore doesn't understand the Reaper's choice to help them. More importantly, he doesn't agree with the Reaper's methods. He wants very much to stop him." Severus needed to say enough without revealing the depth of his knowledge.

"The fool would go against the very man helping him? Self-righteous blood traitor!" Avery replied.

"Enough, Avery." The Dark Lord was silent for a moment in thought. Severus did not look around and did not waver. It was best to not draw attention to himself less he end up like Rabastan. "This is good news. Very good news, Severus. This means the Order will not be a factor for my plan for the _Reaper_."

"What do you suggest we do, milord?" Rodolphus Lestrange hesitantly asked.

"His patterns are obvious. I've had years to watch the Reaper. Now, it is time to kill this man. Fool that he is to challenge me." The Dark Lord spoke mostly to himself.

"You don't think the Reaper is…" Bellatrix paused mid-sentence to look in Severus' direction before she continued, "The Prisoner?" Interesting, so there was more that the Dark Lord was keeping from him, even now. He'd have to find out more on this Prisoner.

"No, Bella. I've thought about the possibility, but he is too much influenced by Dumbledore's teachings. Helping those less _fortunate_." The Dark Lord snuffed at the idea of this Prisoner being the Reaper, "It's simply not his style to kill. No matter his strength, his is nothing more than a prisoner of his own making. No, we are looking at a weaker foe. And it is not one man, but many. And what is the best way to kill many?"

"Many more, milord. Many, many more…" Bellatrix answered with a crazy laughter in her voice.

"If I may ask milord?" Rabastan waited for the Dark Lord's acknowledgement before he continued, "How will we attack him? His whereabouts are unknown."

"How else? But a well laid trap. Like I said before, the Reaper has a pattern. Lucius, tell us of your findings."

"My Lord." Lucius bowed his head before he began, "The Reaper attacks Ministry employees that have taken the dark mark. His so called cleansing of the Ministry has meant that we cannot keep men within the Ministry for very long without them dying. But we can turn that to our advantage."

"Place a decoy in the Ministry and wait for the Reaper to attack him. He'll be dead within the week."

"Good Rodolphus, you'll be in charge of making sure it happens. Lucius, you make sure our man gets inside. I don't care what you have to do. You will make it happen."

"Yes, milord." Lucius bowed in reply.

"Severus, make sure Dumbledore does not get in the way."

"Your will is mine." Severus also bowed in reply.

Interesting. Now, how will you react, Reaper? The Dark Lord dismissed the group shortly after that. Severus made his way to Lucius who was several steps ahead of him. He finally caught up to man in front of the front door to the Manor. They were alone. "You owe me a drink, Lucius."

Lucius looked tiredly back at his friend, shaking his head slightly. "Not tonight, Severus. Tomorrow." Severus did not try to hide his displeasure at the response. Tired or not, Lucius owed him some answers. "I'll even take you to the Black Venom. Tomorrow, Severus, just not tonight. Please, my friend."

"Tomorrow, at the Black Venom, then. Go home to Narcissa." Severus reluctantly replied. It would give him time to plan out the best way to whittle out the information he sought.

* * *

AN: Alright, so that took way longer then I thought it would. I can't say I was all that happy with the chapter either. It's a little more tell and a little less show then I like, but I had to get backdrop setup... I'd like to give a thanks to by beta bkats.

So, I've got good news and bad news. Good news, my experiment is kicking ass. Who successfully differentiated neurons out of mouse embryonic stems? This dude. Now, I've just got to characterize them. Also more good news for me, I've finally got a committee set, whoop! Now that I think about it, I haven't got any good new for you guys... So bad news. I'm working on the outline for the next one or two chapters (can't tell how long it will in up being). As soon as I'm out of the middle game, then it's smooth sailing. But until the end game, I can only try to get the chapters out within a months time. Classes are started again, and my PI expects me to read about a million papers on my project. But I shall prevail.

So, JK Rowling still owns the rights to all things Harry Potter. I will, however, claim Magic. It pretty much based off of Nature and Science (two different journals).

KJ


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